- Sony Music Group Celebrates APIDA Heritage Month ‘23
- May 31
This May for Asian, Pacific Islander, Desi, and Asian American (APIDA) Heritage Month, we’re proud to embrace the theme “The Golden Diaspora: Exploring a New Era for the APIDA Community.”
Over the last year, the APIDA community has been recognized and applauded in media, music, and entertainment, dawning a new era for APIDA representation. The Asian community is not a monolith, which is why we celebrate “APIDA.” This term encompasses all the Asian, Pacific Islander, Desi and Asian American communities, which all have unique cultures, languages, and histories.
SMG honors and commemorates the many contributions of the APIDA community and embrace equity and support for the Asian diaspora.
Celebrating the Golden Diaspora
Our month-long celebration of APIDA culture and representation started with a discussion at our New York City office featuring members of the three-time Tony Award-nominated musical, KPOP. Moderated by K-pop expert Jeff Benjamin, we listened to Helen Park—the first Asian American woman composer in Broadway history—and KPOP cast members Abraham Lim and Kevin Woo speak about the global influence of Korean pop culture as well as their personal journeys and experiences on and off the stage.
Park explained that it was rare for her to see accurate Asian representation in American theater and media growing up. “Many of the Asian centric stories were written by non-Asians. It was oftentimes exotified with beautiful music, but the authenticity was questionable.” This prompted her to praise KPOP for its commitment to authenticity and allowing its Korean cast and crew members to be unapologetic about their culture.
KPOP – Original Broadway Cast Recording is now available through Sony Masterworks Broadway. Listen here.
We continued our APIDA Heritage Month celebrations with an ‘Ori Tahiti’ dance class led by Madilyne Nguyen-Acosta—SMG’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Specialist—at our New York City office. As a Tahitian dancer since childhood, Nguyen-Acosta was thrilled when she was asked to share her knowledge and passion for the artform with her fellow teammates.
“I noticed that Polynesian culture was not as prevalent in New York City compared to my home state, California, so when I had the opportunity to share it at Sony Music, I did not hesitate to say yes,” she said. “It was fun teaching Tahitian dance to my Sony teammates, and I think everyone had a lot of fun learning as well.”
Lastly, we tuned into an in-person and online hybrid chat with John C. Yang, President and Executive Director, and Tiffany Chang, Director of Community Engagement at Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, a non-profit partner through the Sony Global Social Justice Fund. The conversation—which was moderated by SMG’s Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Tiffany R. Warren—highlighted the history and mission of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, the efforts to address the nationwide rise in hate crimes against the AAPI communities, and the importance of allyship.
A huge thank you to everyone who participated in our APIDA Heritage Month celebrations—especially those who joined us from outside of SMG:
- Abraham Lim, Singer and Actor
- Helen Park, Broadway Composer
- Jeff Benjamin, K-Pop Editor and Columnist for TIDAL and Billboard
- John C. Yang, President and Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC
- Kevin Woo, Singer, Actor, Host and Creative Director
- Sahaj Kaur Kohli, Mental Health Professional and Founder of Brown Girl Therapy
- Shiv Nadkarni, Singer, Actor and Dancer
- Tiffany Chang, Director of Community Engagement at Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC
- Vinh Pham, Physical Therapist and Founder of Myodetox
And a special shoutout to Sony Masterworks Broadway and Talent Advisory Groups (TAGs) HUE (Helping Unite Everyone) and Wellful for dedicating time and effort to coordinating this month’s internal programming.
Our Ongoing Efforts to Support the APIDA Community
Through our Global Social Justice Fund, we continue to celebrate and support the APIDA community worldwide beyond the month of May. Below, learn about a few of our partner organizations who are advancing social justice in different communities across Asia:
- Yayasan Sosial Indonesia untuk Kemanusiaan (Indonesia) – An empowered community in fighting for a just, dignified, and prosperous life for all within the framework of human rights and natural preservation.
- Milaan Foundation (India) – Empowering girls to stand up for themselves by advancing their skills, rights, and opportunities to unlock their voice, choice, and inner power.
- Modern Women’s Foundation (Taiwan) – With a firm force, we strive to defend the rights and interests of women and children who witnessed domestic violence, and to eliminate inequality in the system and modern culture. By providing professional services, we comfort the injured hearts and souls, and we hope to become the most trusted organization for gender-based violence victims.
- Swadhar Institute for Development of Women and Children (India) – Swadhar envisions a society where in women in distress and underprivileged children are empowered to uplift themselves and become responsible members of our society.
- Sony Music Iberia Named a Great Place to Work
- May 31
Sony Music Iberia—inclusive of Sony Music Spain and Sony Music Portugal—is officially Great Place to Work-certified by Great Place to Work®, a leader in the identification and certification of work environments that foster growth, high-trust culture and employee happiness.
The award is a national and international recognition in the fields of employee management and business strategy, annually granted to companies around the world that meet the certification requirements, which includes an analysis of the environment including a research-backed employee experience survey.
The results of the employee survey surfaced several items that Sony Music Iberia employees recognize as being particularly valuable as part of their workplace experience: employee welfare, the full flexibility model, the close collaboration between teams and the mutual respect at all levels within the organization.
Among the main Human Resources strategies implemented by Sony Music Iberia, a few that stand out is its efforts to promote work-life balance, cross-functional work and the emotional and physical health of employees.
José Mª Barbat, President of Sony Music Iberia, comments on the certification saying “This certification proves that we took the right direction when, years ago, we decided to put people—artists and talented employees—at the strategic centre of the organization, building a more flexible and friendly working environment, where the focus is not only on the what but also on the how.”
Barbat continues, “We are very privileged to work in an industry that is tremendously fun and at the same time very demanding. It is no longer an option to keep up with the times and build the best working environments for the best professionals. For us, this certification is not an end, but a means; it represents a clear commitment to continuous improvement where, year after year, we will continue to work with great focus to remain a benchmark working and collaborative environment and, we will continue to do so, tending to the needs of the people who passionately dedicate their professional lives to making artists’ dreams come true.”
- Watch: All ICONS Episodes Out Now
- May 30
This past March, Sony Music Group and GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, announced “ICONS,” an uplifting and intimate three-part episodic video series designed to advance LGBTQ inclusion in music and amplify LGBTQ voices in the industry.
This year, the series featured three rising LGBTQ icons in the music industry: Isaac Dunbar, INIKO and MK xyz.
The series debuted on GLAAD’s YouTube on Friday, March 10, and we’re happy to share that all three full-length episodes are available to watch now. Binge all three episodes below and read more about “ICONS” and the SMG x GLAAD partnership here.
Issac Dunbar (He/Him)
Listen to Issac Dunbar (an Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist nominee for the 34th annual GLAAD Awards) dive into his past, his relationship to music and what his newest project, Banish the Banshee, really means to him.
Follow Issac on Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
INIKO (They/Them)
INIKO talks about musical influences, how their experiences growing up shaped their identity today and so much more in “ICONS” episode 2.
Follow INIKO on Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
MK xyz (She/Her/They)
In episode 3, MK xyz reminisces about the first time she went viral and felt all the love, along with what it feels like to dismantle constructs and find your own path.
Follow MK xyz on Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube
- Highlighting Our Partners This Earth Day
- Mar 31
We’re committed to making a positive impact on the environment.
Which is why, in alignment with Sony’s Road to Zero campaign, we have taken a unique approach to address the disparity of climate change and how it disproportionately affects environmentally overburdened communities worldwide.
In 2022, we committed nearly $500,000 to organizations confronting years of underinvestment in historically excluded communities across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Below, learn about some of our Global Social Justice Fund partner organizations who are helping communities affected by climate change around the world.
Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator
Partner Task Force: SMG Latin Iberia
“Our islands are at the forefront of the climate crisis. The Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator actively unlocks growth opportunities for organizations specializing in everything from green hydrogen to smart farming. The Accelerator is a driving force in the journey to create the world’s first climate smart zone.”
– Racquel Moses, Chief Executive Officer, Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator
Community Foundation of Greater Flint
Partner Task Force: SMG U.S.
“In Flint, our focus has been clean drinking water since the lead-tainted crisis began. Ensuring the healthy future of our local drinking water supports the economic well-being of everyone in our region.”
– Isaiah M. Oliver, President & CEO, Community Foundation of Greater Flint
Partner Task Force: SMG Latin Iberia
“IPLCs (Indigenous People and local communities) have a track record of protecting rainforests. But when people who live in the rainforest lose control over their lands because of discriminatory policies, the rainforest becomes collateral damage. Cool Earth seeks to remedy this by addressing the inequalities that IPLCs face.”
– Isabel Felandro, Acting Head of Global Programmes, Cool Earth
Partner Task Force: SMG U.S.
“Our programs support farmers, promote the launch of new businesses, and advocate for systems change to create a more sustainable and equitable regional food system. Building resilient regional food systems keeps money in our communities, creates jobs, influences land use, reduces pollution through food transport and ensures the viability of socially disadvantaged producers and consumers.”
– Kate Fullam, Executive Director, East End Food Institute
New York City Environmental Justice Alliance
Partner Task Force: SMG U.S.
“While we know climate change affects everyone, its impact will not be evenly felt—particularly for low-income communities of color. NYC-EJA empowers its members to advocate for improved conditions by coordinating campaigns designed to inform policies.”
– Eddie Bautista, Executive Director, New York City Environmental Justice Alliance Inc.
Partner Task Force: SMG U.S.
“The Niles Foundation is addressing underlying inequities that affect communities of color by increasing their access to land, food, clean energy, climate action and agriculture. We’re taking land and reconstructing it into environmentally friendly, green, fruitful, open outdoor community spaces that HEAL underrepresented communities long-term.”
– Shante Walker, CEO & Founder, Niles Foundation
Partner Task Force: SMG Africa
“Climate change most deeply affects those already suffering from racial inequality. This population includes a lot of our farmers, 84% of whom are women. We’re working to help our farmers improve soil health, restore natural habitats, and implement stormwater management techniques to improve efficiency and prevent crop devastation during flooding.”
– Sibusiso “Raah” Msimango, Head of Programmes, Thanda
Partner Task Force: SMG Africa
“We [teach sustainable practices] at family and community levels [to] advance child development and learning. Over time, this will result in children reaching their full potential, resulting in communities setting up a positive cycle of sustainable development.”
– James Mlingo Tsabedze, Programme Manager, Vusumnotfo
Water First Education and Training Inc. / L’Eau d’Abord Éducation et Formation Inc.
Partner Task Force: SMG Canada
“Water First strives to provide safe spaces for Indigenous learners to strengthen their relationship with the Land and connect with career opportunities in STEM fields. By increasing the representation of Indigenous voices in [climate] conversations, we are supporting more opportunities to receive critical direction from Indigenous Peoples necessary to best navigate climate change-related decision-making while respecting the cultures and rights of these peoples.”
– Dillon Koopmans, Senior Manager of the Indigenous Schools Water Program, Water First Education and Training Inc.
- Sony Music Group Celebrates Women’s History Month ‘23
- Mar 31
Envision a world where gender equality prevails and there is no room for prejudice, stereotypes or discrimination. Diversity, fairness and inclusivity are paramount, and differences should be acknowledged and celebrated. This sentiment helped inspire Women’s History Month at Sony Music Group this year.
Through various internal events and activities, we embraced equity and recognized our differences as a positive pillar for a more just and inclusive society.
Embracing Equity This Women’s History Month
We kicked off the month’s celebrations with an International Women’s Day panel discussion hosted by Sony Women in Music (SWIM)—a Sony Music UK Talent Advisory Group (TAG)—moderated by YolanDa Brown OBE, musician, broadcaster and Chair of the BPI. This panel, featuring women leaders from across the Sony companies, touched on the common challenges women face in the workplace as well as the different ways we can improve gender equality and equity.
To close out the conversation, each of the panelists were asked to share some words of wisdom they would tell their younger selves. Sonia Grant-Yendell, Sony Music Publishing’s Vice President of People eXperience UK & International, said, “Trust your gut, trust your instinct. When you’re focused you can achieve what you want. Trust your belief.” Learn more about SWIM’s International Women’s Day panel discussion here.
Sony Music U.S. TAGs The Village and WIN (Women’s Initiative Network) also held an interactive workshop, led by executive career coach and Co-Founder of EQUALibrium Rachelle Pereira, that focused on making space for career development when work/life harmony seems elusive.
A huge thank you to all our SMG teammates who attended and participated in our Women’s History Month events. Special shoutouts to Pereira, Brown and Kelly Austin, Psychology Coach and music industry veteran, for lending their time, wisdom and voices to support our celebrations this month. And a big round of applause to TAGs SWIM, WIN, The Village and Wellful for all the coordination efforts that went into this month’s events and activities. Thank you for making our Women’s History Month a true celebration of gender equity and diversity in the workplace.
Looking Ahead
Although Women’s History Month has come to an end, we will continue to embrace and advance gender equity in the music industry and beyond. That’s why, through our CSR, COVID Relief and the Global Social Justice Fund, we continue to support organizations serving women and girls around the world.
Learn about some of those organizations we have supported below:
- Alliance For Women Film Composers – Through advocacy, support and education, the Alliance for Women Film Composers aims to increase the visibility of women composers active in media scoring. The AWFC advocates for the inclusion of women composers within industry events; supports filmmakers, game developers and studios in their inclusion of women composers; and educates, mentors and inspires emerging women composers.
- Fondo Guadalupe Musalem (Guadalupe Musalem Fund) – Fondo Guadalupe Musalem supports the educational aspirations of young indigenous Oaxacan women from impoverished rural communities in the state. The non-profit organization aims to provide the tools and resources needed for the successful completion of high school and university.
- Girls Make Beats – Girls Make Beats is a non-profit organization that empowers women and girls by expanding their presence as music producers, DJs and audio engineers. Sony Music Publishing (SMP) partnered with Girls Make Beats in 2022 to host the Beyond the Instrument program, an ongoing initiative designed to develop the next generation of music industry leaders.
- Milaan Foundation – The Milaan Foundation is a non-profit social impact organization with the purpose of empowering girls to stand up for themselves by advancing their skills, rights and opportunities and unlocking their voice, choice and power. Through the Global Social Justice Fund, Sony Music Entertainment India supports the organization’s flagship Girl Icon Program, a leadership development program that invests in empowering girls at the grassroots level, delivering comprehensive life-skills-based education and instigating collective social action.
- Tap Elderly Women’s Wisdom for Youth – Tap Elderly Women’s Wisdom for Youth’s mission is to bridge the intergenerational and mental health treatment gaps. The organization trains elderly women in World Health Organization’s mental health Gap Action Program (mhGAP) to provide free and accessible mental health services, support and resources in underserved and marginalized communities.
- Young Women’s Freedom Center – Young Women’s Freedom Center provides support, mentorship, training, employment and advocacy to young women and trans youth of all genders in California who have grown up in poverty, experienced the juvenile legal and foster care systems, survived living and working on the streets, and experienced significant violence in their lives. Their mission is to build the power and leadership of directly impacted young people and inspire them to create positive change in their lives and communities.
- The YWCA of Brooklyn Inc. – The YWCA of Brooklyn, Inc. (YWCA Brooklyn) is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
- Local Impact Reports: Sony Music Canada On Making a Difference
- Mar 28
This article is part of our Local Impact Report series: a collection of informal catchup-ups where we connect with different members of Social Justice Task Forces within Sony Music. These Task Forces were formed after launching our $100 million Global Social Justice Fund in 2020, to ensure each region in which Sony Music operates is successfully shepherding funds in their area.
As part of our company’s mission to foster connections with global communities and contribute in meaningful ways, Sony Music Group continues to work with our business divisions across 60 regions to partner with grassroot organizations that are breaking down barriers in communities around the world. We strategically pair with chosen organizations to implement on-the-ground activations and programs, in an effort to drive nonpartisan solutions in areas of civic and community engagement, criminal justice reform, diversity through impact and educational programs.
Most recently, we caught up with Carmen Spencer, Senior Director, People eXperience, from Sony Music Canada’s Social Justice Task Force. Spencer helps identify key organizations the group can support.
“We have a core team here in Canada that drives large initiatives, while keeping close contact with various organizations we’ve supported through the Global Social Justice Fund, and develops regional-specific strategies,” says Spencer. “We also have a larger group that comes together primarily when there is a new round of funding, and we explore new organizations for funding.”
For Sony Music Canada, determining which organizations to partner with is easier said than done—because the goal is far more extensive than just supporting these organizations financially. Together, the Task Force believes that time and expertise is equally as valuable to the community organizations as financial contributions. It’s why they follow these core principles:
- Be advocates for the organization they support through the Global Social Justice Fund.
- Select organizations that can accomplish a significant amount within their ecosystem with the funding provided.
- Support organizations that provide services in historically underserved, underrepresented or marginalized communities.
- Understand the need of the organization and support the community it impacts with product and expertise for the greatest impact.
There is never a shortage of organizations for the group to put forward for consideration. They also encourage everyone across Sony Music Canada to submit organizations throughout the year. It’s very much a team effort.
Let’s hear from some of the organizations that have been funded by Sony Music Canada’s Task Force:
Foodshare
“We leveraged Sony’s grant to coordinate and host a Digital Day of Action around the goals of the Right to Food campaign, which is about mobilizing community members to push for changes at the municipal level. The Digital Day of Action was basically a phone and email zap, with folks first meeting over Zoom to hear from leaders at community groups Dietitians for Food Justice and Birchmount Community Action Council speak on why updating Toronto’s food charter would be relevant to the work they do, and what the tangible impact would be in the communities they serve. 50 people attended the live Zoom event, with a total of 125 people using our email tool to send messages to their government officials.” – Sydney Hyatt, Development Manager
Support Foodshare here.
Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund
“This support [from the Global Social Justice Fund grant] allows us to achieve our goal of improving the lives of Indigenous people by expanding our educational programming and creating connections between all peoples in Canada.” – Sarah Midanik, President and CEO
Support Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund here.
Pour 3 Points
As a longtime recipient of the Global Social Justice Fund, “A heartfelt MERCI for your continued support of coaches, young people and a more just society!” – Meg Hewings, Philanthropy and Partnership Development
Support Pour 3 Points here.
Stella’s Place
On receiving the donation from the Global Social Justice Fund, “Gifts like yours help young people get well, stay well, stay out of hospital and live the lives they choose.” – Catherine Dyer, Director of Development
Support Stella’s Place here.
Looking ahead, the Task Force continues to see each partnership as the beginning of a new relationship. It gives their team the opportunity to witness the work being done in the communities around them. This includes organizing a symposium to bring together every organization they have supported through the Global Social Justice Fund and other initiatives.
Congrats to Sony Music Canada and the work they’ve done to support their community. More to come!
Read more stories about Local Impact:
Local Impact Reports: SME Mexico Social Justice Task Force On Making a Difference
Local Impact Reports: SME Brazil Social Justice Task Force On Making a Difference
Local Impact Reports: SMG Asia Social Justice Task Force on Making a Difference
- Sony Music Group Celebrates Black History Month ‘23
- Feb 28
This Black History Month, Sony Music Group proudly embraced the theme “History in the Making: The Future Is Now.” Throughout February, we held internal events that acknowledged, advanced and supported Black artists and creatives paving the way for a more inclusive future, while still reflecting and remembering our history.
Highlights From Our Black History Month Celebrations
As part of our month-long celebration of Black culture and the Black community, we hosted a virtual conversation with Greg Noire, award-winning live music and portrait photographer and Sony Alpha camera ambassador, moderated by Towalame Austin, Sony Music Group’s Executive Vice President of Philanthropy & Social Impact. Noire reflected on his journey as a Black photographer and shared his experiences capturing some of today’s most notable artists, like Doja Cat and Steve Lacy.
During his conversation with Austin, Noire highlighted that he often finds himself the only Black photographer in the photo pits he operates in, which prompted him to stress the significance of inclusive hiring practices. “If you look outside of who you already know, you would see that talent exists in other diverse [candidates],” Noire said. Austin added, “We all have a responsibility to make sure we are hiring diverse people, looking at credentials and the people themselves.”
Additionally, in a panel discussion held by HUE (Helping Unite Everyone)—a Talent Advisory Group (TAG) at Sony Music Group—and The Orchard, we listened as Niyi Osidipe, Sony Music’s Director of Artist Development & Global Strategy Africa; Tunde Ajaba-Ogundipe, Sony Music’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of African Music Strategy; and Ashley Hall, Associate Director of International Label Management at The Orchard, described the impact of Afrobeats on the global music scene.
Hall explained that one of the most important ways the music industry can champion African artists is by allowing them to maintain their authenticity. She added, “[The industry] must continue to provide vital resources into the market to bring their music to the forefront of what is considered mainstream, popular music.”
A big round of applause to all SMG employees who participated, contributed and attended our Black History Month events and activities. Shoutout to our special guests Noire and Mackenzie Palmer, yoga instructor and sensual movement leader, for lending their time and wisdom to enrich our celebrations. And, to our TAGs HUE U.S., HUE GSA and Wellful, thank you for spearheading the event programming and making this Black History Month at Sony Music Group so special.
Supporting the Black Community Beyond the Month of February
While the month has come to an end, we are committed to continuing our support for the Black community—and all communities around the world—through our Global Social Justice Fund (GSJF). With World Day of Social Justice also falling in February, we highlighted a few of our GSJF partners raising awareness and driving action to eradicate poverty, discrimination, inequity and unfairness in society, like Bridges for Music.
Bridges for Music is a South African-based nonprofit organization that provides young students in under-served communities the tools and skills to excel in creative industries. “In the face of an ever-increasing lack of education in our communities about what equal rights and opportunities really mean, ensuring everyone has equal economic, political and social opportunities is becoming an increasing challenge,” said Thulani Headman, Bridges For Music’s Co-Founder and Operations Manager. “Through our program (and its music) we have been able to change minds, and we consider that the most important tool for social justice.”
Learn more about Bridges for Music and our other partners impacting social justice in different communities around the world here.
- Highlighting Our Partners on World Day of Social Justice
- Feb 20
Sony Music Group’s commitment to giving is at the heart of our philanthropic programs and activities across the globe.
Each year on February 20, World Day of Social Justice brings together diverse communities to raise awareness and drive action to eradicate poverty, discrimination, inequity and all forms of unfairness in our society.
Since launching our $100 million Global Social Justice Fund in June 2020, we’ve supported over 400 organizations worldwide. Over 56% of our partners are led by a person of color or a member of a historically under-resourced population.
We consider each partnership incredibly valuable and influential—and we take the time to ensure every organization supported is the right fit.
There is a rigorous submission process to become a Global Social Justice Fund partner, and each potential organization is thoroughly vetted. While this review process is important, it’s also equally important that the organizations align with our Company’s mission and values and operate programs around our three core pillars: Civic Engagement, Criminal Justice Reform and Education. (You can read more about that here.)
Below, learn more about some of our partners and the impact they’re having on social justice in different communities around the world.
Partner Task Force: SMG Africa
“In the face of an ever-increasing lack of education in our communities about what equal rights and opportunities really mean, ensuring everyone has equal economic, political and social opportunities is becoming an increasing challenge. Through our program (and its music) we have been able to change minds, and we consider that the most important tool for social justice.”
– Thulani Headman, Co-Founder and Operations Manager, Bridges For Music
Partner Task Force: SMG Australia
“For us, social justice work means we work with and for communities. We share our resources, knowledge and creativity to support the hopes and aspirations of every young person that we connect with. Our program, Real Youth Music Studio (RYMS) is a platform for local young people to showcase their talents, learn new things, meet positive peers and just have fun.
RYMS continues to celebrate our local young people with a number of recordings, showcases and live performances over the past year. The program is in the process of evolving to a mobile Caravan of Sound, aimed at ensuring young people from across the different Inner Melbourne public housing estates can access opportunities to write, perform and record.”
– Karen Fields, CEO, Drummond Street Services
Partner Task Force: SMG Asia
“Gender justice will be achieved when girls and women will be able to exercise their human and constitutional rights and live a life with dignity, free from violence, discrimination, abuse and exploitation. Our work aims at ensuring that girls continue and complete their secondary education, challenging norms that maintain the patriarchal status quo to unlock their potential.
From the girls we work with, the results of the programming have been very encouraging: 58 percent pursue higher education, 85 percent of the girls we work with report improved adolescent health outcomes, 99 percent have delayed their age of marriage, and over 80 percent are able to prevent and defy gender-based discrimination and violence.”
– Dhirendra Pratap Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Milaan Foundation
Plansverige (Plan International Sweden) & Sisters Create
Partner Task Force: SMG Continental Europe
“The project has provided a place for young girls and non-binary people where they can be themselves. Young people from different socio-economic backgrounds have been able to meet and this has helped them to gain an increased understanding for each other. For myself, the project has helped me to feel more assertive in a music studio, which is an environment often dominated by men.”
– Isabella, Sisters Create group leader and young musician
Partner Task Force: SMG Canada
“We believe that with the right training, sports coaches can become mentors and community leaders. Pour3Points has grown into a community of over 100 certified coach-mentors and civic leaders who make a difference in the daily lives of the young people they coach in low-income communities across Québec. Today, Pour3Points’ programs support coaches as they accompany thousands of young people each year as they fight for social justice, racial justice and equality in their communities, and reshape the sport and education sectors.”
– Fabrice Vil, Founder, Pour 3 Points
Partner Task Force: SMG New Zealand
“Sistema Aotearoa provides rare opportunities and creates pathways for students and tutors. As well as developing the students musically and socially, it has created a safe space for people like me to feel a sense of belonging in such a competitive field. As one of the Polynesian tutors, it is an absolute privilege to be part of the journey of unleashing the limitless talent in the youth of South Auckland, New Zealand.”
– Anne Filimoehala, Lead Tutor, Sistema Aotearoa
Partner Task Force: SMG UK
“Small Green Shoots champions under-represented young people, supporting them with opportunities and access into the music industry. Working around London, we have successfully placed 150 young people in permanent jobs in music and creative businesses, thanks to our incredible partnerships with various organisations, including Sony Music.”
– Makeda McMillan, Managing Director, Small Green Shoots
Partner Task Force: SMG U.S.
“The Tennessee Innocence Project is leading efforts across the state around wrongful convictions, giving voices to individuals who have been unheard for decades, and educating thousands of Tennesseans about our justice system. Since opening our doors in 2019, we have achieved four exonerations – individuals who collectively spent 95 years wrongfully incarcerated. We fight every day for our clients’ freedom, to bring them home to their families, and to make our community more just. We could not do this without the support of partners like Sony Music!”
– Hayley Levy, Director of Development, Tennessee Innocence Project
Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights
Partner Task Force: SMG Latin Iberia
“At the Young Center, our mission is to advocate for children who are forced to navigate our country’s immigration system alone, whether they traveled to the U.S. by themselves or were forcibly separated from their families. A tremendous amount of work remains ahead to advance the rights of all immigrant children, but our team remains committed to fighting for the justice immigrant children and their families deserve.”
– Gladis Molina Alt, Executive Director, Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights
Visit the United Nations website to learn more about World Day of Social Justice, here.
- Disaster Relief Assistance in Turkey and Syria
- Feb 13
We have all seen the tragic situation unfolding in Turkey and Syria, following an earthquake which caused the deaths, injuries and displacement of hundreds of thousands of people in both countries. Among those most directly affected are our colleagues based at Sony Music Turkey. Our thoughts are with all the people of Turkey and Syria who are impacted by this catastrophe, and we continue to monitor developments closely.
Our priority has been to ensure that friends and colleagues based in Turkey are safe and given the help they and their families need during this difficult time. Local leadership and our People eXperience teams have been working closely with our global Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider to ensure all employees in Turkey have 24/7 access to support that includes counseling, financial and legal assistance.
Additionally, Sony Music Group is donating funds to the Turkish non-government organization, AKUT, which is on the ground helping with disaster relief efforts and fuel long-term recovery efforts in both Turkey and Syria.
On behalf of all Sony companies, Sony Group Corporate is donating 31 million yen in emergency aid to the Emergency Disaster and Recovery Fund for Children, UNICEF, UNHCR, UN Refugee Agency, and Médecins Sans Frontières. And, Sony Corporation of America is providing funds to non-profit partners including All Hands and Hearts, American Red Cross, Direct Relief, International Medical Corps, Save the Children, UNICEF, and World Central Kitchen.
Employee Match Donation Initiative
From now through March 20, 2023, employee contributions made to a Sony Music Group-approved organization will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $2,000 USD (or a local currency equivalent). You can also use a credit card or make an offline donation and upload your receipt. Donations will be used to provide food, clean water, and medicine as well as wellbeing support to survivors, shelter and temporary housing to people who have lost their homes. The contributions will also support economic relief and long-term recovery efforts.
For more information on Sony Music Group’s support for communities globally and locally, please visit our Giving Back site.
- How Sony Music Group Supported Local Communities Throughout the Holidays
- Jan 13
Throughout November and December of 2022, Sony Music Group supported every local community that we conduct business in—totaling nine regions—through our Season of Giving program.
Season of Giving is an annual campaign that represents our ongoing philanthropic commitment to forge partnerships and support communities that need it most, inside and outside the music industry. Every global organization selected to receive funding was determined by members of our global internal task force.
This year, the program primarily focused on providing aid in four key areas: food insecurity, homelessness and refugee support, music industry relief and educational programs for communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Within those two months, notable Sony Music artists and Sony Music Publishing songwriters volunteered at in-person events with local partner organizations. (See a full list of those organizations here.)
Simple Plan, Canadian rock band distributed by The Orchard, explained how and why supporting the Simple Plan Foundation was so important to them. “Over the last two years, we were not able to play any shows, so it’s been tough not being able to organize any fundraising events,” said Chuck Comeau, the band’s drummer. “This donation is going to make a huge difference—it’s going to kickstart the Foundation again and get us motivated to give more and help as much as we can.”
Want to get a closer look inside our Season of Giving program? Check out our recap video below.
