Sony Corporation, the electronics business unit and the parent company of the Sony Group, has created a USD100 million COVID-19 global relief fund to support people impacted by the pandemic.
This the largest donation made by Sony, and the fund will provide support in three areas:
- Assistance for those individuals engaged in frontline medical and first responder efforts to fight the virus.
- Support for children and educators who must now work remotely.
- Support for members of the creative community in the entertainment industry.
For medical support, USD10 million of the fund will be given to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO powered by the UN Foundation and Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, as well as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The fund will assist medical workers and other frontliners.
In response to worldwide school closures and the lack of education opportunities during the pandemic, Sony will use a part of the fund to leverage its technologies in support of children’s education and work with educators to implement these measures.
And creative communities in music, pictures, games and animation, as well as group companies engaged in the entertainment industry can expect support from Sony’s fund. who have been affected by event cancellations.
Image: Malay Mail
“Sony extends its condolences to the families of those who have passed away as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, and extends its sympathies to all those who have been impacted,” said Sony Corporation president and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida.
“In order to overcome the unprecedented challenges that as a society we now face around the world, we will do all we can as a global company to support the individuals on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19, the children who are our future, and those who have been impacted in the creative community,” he adds.
In their press release, Sony stated that they will also seek ways to support up-and-coming creators, artists and all those in professions supporting the industry, who have been impacted by the cancellation or postponement of concerts and live events, or the shutting down of film and television productions.
Going forward, Sony added that they will work together with their partners and stakeholders to explore ways to further extend the initiatives.
