Like every company that makes an effort to better our world, SONY Music Entertainment aims to uphold their CSR policy.
Corporate Social Responsibility, as defined by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, is “the way through which a company achieves a balance of economic, environmental and social imperatives, while at the same time addressing the expectations of shareholders and stakeholders”.
SONY Music Entertainment, one of the largest producing companies in the music industry, focuses on partnering with a variety of organizations to be involved with their community. This includes foundations working with environmental sustainability, social justice, COVID relief and more. Below are just a couple of the ways that SONY Music Group is contributing to bettering society, within and outside of the music industry.
SONY’s Beyond the Instrument Initiative
SONY’s Beyond the Instrument program was designed to bring music education to students by supplying instruments and instruction. They partner with nonprofits like Notes for Notes (the nonprofit I touched on in last week’s blog) and Fender Play Foundation; a nonprofit with similar initiatives as N4N, such as providing kids with instruments and a space to learn and practice music. Since 2021, SONY has worked annually with these nonprofits to find access to instruments and musical education for students around the U.S. “Beyond The Instrument has donated thousands of dollars’ worth of instruments, equipment, software and curriculums as well as provided mentoring and is on target to support nearly 10,000 students…” (Link to article). Just this year, SONY announced they will be taking the project global by expanding to the U.K. This program has done an exceptional job with providing opportunities for kids around the U.S. to pursue their passions in music. Now being taken overseas, the impacts of Beyond the Instrument will be reached on a global scale.
SONY’s Global Social Justice Fund
In December of 2022, SONY received the Global Business Alliance’s Corporate Social Responsibility Award. The award was won and motivated by their Global Social Justice Fund; a $100 million global fund that aims to support social justice, anti-racist initiatives and educational opportunities that aid equal rights. The focus areas of this fund are centered around criminal justice, civil engagement, civil rights, mental health, food insecurity and more. SONY has partnered with U.S. organizations that fight for these initiatives. The values of their CSR are seen clearly with this organization as it has made a huge impact around the country by promoting solutions to the many societal problems we face.
SONY’s Global Scholars Program
In November of 2022, SONY announced 50 recipients of their Group Global Scholars Program. This grant aims to contribute to the education of the next generation of music. “The Sony Music Group Global Scholars Program received applications across more than 70 countries. The 50 scholarships awarded represent a global cohort of students across all regions where Sony Music Group operates…” (Link to article). The program provides recipients with music education opportunities like mentorships, internships and investigating their interests in the music industry. With this program, SONY exemplifies their support for underrepresented talent. They provide many students opportunities in the music industry that they might not otherwise have. Working alongside the next generation of music begins with building these relationships now and SONY makes themselves one step ahead with the Global Scholars Program.