Community Engagement
Basic Approach
Sony's Purpose is to “Fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology.” Sony can only create sustainable social value based on its Purpose when the global environment is healthy and people can live in society with comfort.
Through its social contribution initiatives, Sony recognizes various social issues and aims to create a positive impact by solving them while also enhancing its corporate value, such as by building trusting relationships with wider society, communities and other stakeholders, improving employee engagement, and creating innovation.
Metrics and Targets
Under the slogan "For the Next Generation,” Sony utilizes the power of its products, content, technology, and employees in a variety of social support endeavors with three areas of focus, in collaboration with its partners.
Areas of Focus
1. Support to foster the next generation: Inheriting the vision of its founders and recognizing the fact that educating future generations as future leaders of society is necessary to create a society in which everyone can live with peace of mind in a healthy global environment, Sony leverages its strengths to roll out initiatives in support of education for future generations.
2. Disaster relief and humanitarian assistance: Sony provides humanitarian aid in response to large-scale disasters and emergency crises around the world, taking into account the degree of urgency and its relationship with each region.
3. Initiatives for global issues: Sony utilizes its products, content, technologies, and the strengths of Sony Group employees, in partnership with stakeholders, to promote initiatives that address global issues, such as fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sony also supports activities relating to the areas of focus stated above through initiatives to enhance awareness and engagement among employees with the aim of advancing their understanding of issues and inspiring them to personally take part in activities.
Organizational Structure
Sony’s global projects are spearheaded by Sony Group Corporation in Tokyo. In addition, each group company worldwide, along with Sony’s foundations and science museum, is involved in initiatives tailored to local needs. These efforts often include cooperation with international organizations and NGOs. Employees are also encouraged to actively contribute to society by participating in activities such as volunteer programs and fundraising.
Main Initiatives in Fiscal Year 2025
As a result of its social contribution initiatives, Sony Group contributed a total of approximately 5.5 billion yen* to social contribution initiatives in fiscal year 2025. By category, 47.5% of the expenditure went to supporting education. Significant amounts also went to arts/culture. By business segment, 38.1% of the total expenditure was contributed by HQ/others, followed by pictures (17.7%) and entertainment, technology and services (17.6%).
- *Cumulative figure. In addition to donations, sponsorships and independent program expenses (including facility operation expenses), this amount includes the market value of products donated. It does not include expenditures from the Sony Global Relief Fund for COVID-19 and Global Social Justice Fund. Please see “Partnerships with International Organizations” and “Global Social Justice Fund” for details about their expenditures.
Social Contribution Initiative Expenditure by Field (Fiscal Year 2025)
- Notes:Figures shown are rounded to the nearest whole number. Accordingly, individual sums may not total 100%.
Social Contribution Initiative Expenditure by Segment (Fiscal Year 2025)
- Notes:Figures shown are rounded to the nearest whole number. Accordingly, individual sums may not total 100%.
Support to Foster the Next Generation and Initiatives through Foundations
Support to Foster the Next Generation
Inheriting the vision of its founders and recognizing the fact that educating future generations as future leaders of society is necessary to create a society in which everyone can live with peace of mind in a healthy global environment, Sony Group leverages its strengths in each business segment to roll out initiatives in support of education to foster the next generation.
For example, Sony Music Group aims to promote education and foster the next generation through its Beyond the Instrument initiative. This initiative expands access to musical education by working with local communities in various regions.
Sony Interactive Entertainment runs PlayStation Career Pathways, which provides opportunities for participants to gain exposure to work in the games industry and related career paths.
In addition, Sony China operates Sony Dream Classroom, an initiative that aims to give children learning opportunities and to foster creativity. This initiative supports the development of the next generation by creating educational environments and providing experience-based learning.
- Sony Music UK Announces Beyond The Instrument 2025
- Sony Music Group’s Beyond the Instrument Expands to Panama - Sony Music
- PlayStation Career Pathways (U.S.)
Initiatives through Foundations
Inheriting Sony co-founder Masaru Ibuka's passion for advancing science education to build a brighter future for children, the Sony Education Foundation has supported frontline educational activities for over 65 years.
The Sony Music Foundation (SMF) is active in four primary areas: (I) To provide high quality classical music to children; (II) to create opportunities for everyone to enjoy classical music; (III) to support nurturing young classical musicians; and (IV) to support educational activities and initiatives for children through classical music.
Sony Foundation Australia engages in activities to improve the health and wellbeing of young people in Australia living with severe illnesses, disabilities, or challenging home environments.
The Sony Canada Charitable Foundation engages in activities to support children living with illnesses and to improve the environment for local communities.
Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Assistance
Sony Group provides humanitarian aid in response to large-scale disasters and emergency crises around the world, taking into account the degree of urgency and its relationship with each region.
In fiscal year 2025, a total of approximately 45 million yen of support was provided in response to the earthquake in central Myanmar.
This includes support from the Emergency Disaster and Recovery Fund for Children established by Save the Children and Sony in 2016, which provides immediate support upon the sudden onset of natural disasters or humanitarian crises as well as medium- to long-term recovery support to children.
Initiatives for Global Issues
Sony utilizes its products, content, technologies, and the strengths of Sony Group employees, together with partnerships with stakeholders, to promote initiatives that address global issues, such as fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Partnerships with International Organizations
Sony entered partnerships with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and Save the Children in September 2023, with support extending over a three-year period through 2026.
Under the global partnership with the UNHCR, 6 million USD of support has been provided over three years. These funds have been used to deliver support to help forcibly displaced persons and their host communities in Bangladesh and in the southern Africa region to recover from the devastating effects of COVID-19, and support to empower communities in health and hygiene activities to prevent future infectious diseases. Since 2007, Sony has also sponsored the Refugee Film Festival, through which Japan for UNHCR aims to raise awareness of refugee issues.
Under the global partnership with UNICEF, approximately 6 million USD of support has been provided over three years. These funds are helping to expand the Learning Passport, UNICEF’s flagship digital learning program, and to support UNICEF’s programs aimed at strengthening mental health services for children and young people globally.
Sony has entered a partnership with Save the Children, providing a total of approximately 3 million USD over three years. These funds provide cash assistance for children in Japan who are from households with economic and living difficulties, as well as support activities such as protecting and improving resilience of children and youth in Bangladesh and Mozambique.
- "Sony Global Relief Fund for COVID-19" and "Global Social Justice Fund” mark three years since establishment | News Release | Sony Group Portal
- Tackling Refugee Issues | Sony Group Portal
Partnership for Environmental Conservation
In April 2021, World Wide Fund for Nature Japan (WWF Japan) and Sony Group Corporation (SGC) signed a three-year WWF Corporate Partnership Agreement to step up their collaboration in tackling climate change and conserving biodiversity through forest conservation, and to bring about a healthy global environment. This partnership was renewed in April 2024, promoting collaboration between the two parties with the aim of realizing a healthy global environment. With this partnership as a basis, WWF Japan, WWF Indonesia, Sony, and SynecO, Inc. ran a pilot project to utilize Synecoculture™ for reforestation of Sumatra from fiscal year 2023 to fiscal year 2025.
- WWF Japan and Sony Group Renew Corporate Partnership Agreement (in Japanese) | News Release | Sony Group Portal
- Partnership for Environmental Conservation ｜ Social Contribution ｜Sony Group Portal
Global Social Justice Fund
Sony Group established the 100 million USD Global Social Justice Fund in June 2020. Through this fund, Sony supports initiatives around the world that promote belonging and help build strong, supportive communities. Sony continues to add to the fund to support ongoing activities, with a total expenditure of 14.1 billion yen (107 million USD) as of fiscal year 2025.
Creators for the Planet
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation and Creo, implements Creators for the Planet, a global engagement program that encourages action on social and environmental issues through photography and film. As part of this initiative, SPE and Sony jointly present a Sustainability Award Prize to recognize photographers and filmmakers whose works address pressing social and environmental challenges. One work is selected from each of the Sony World Photography Awards (Professional category) and the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards.
Employee Engagement
Employee Engagement in Social Contribution Initiatives
Sony uses a three-step approach to provide its employees with opportunities to participate in social contribution initiatives: (1) Raise awareness of social issues, (2) Volunteer, and (3) Leverage specialized expertise.
Employee Engagement Approaches and Initiatives
Field Visit Program
Sony launched the Field Visit Program in 2023 as one initiative aimed at fostering a corporate culture of contributing to solving diverse social issues by leveraging the power of Sony’s products, content, technology, and employees. Under this program, employees visit regions in person to experience firsthand the social challenges facing communities and consider solutions. In fiscal year 2025, the program was held on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture.
Volunteer/Pro Bono Work
Sony provides opportunities for employees at Sony Group companies to participate in volunteer activities.
In Japan, Sony operates the Sony Group Volunteer Website in collaboration with Japan Philanthropic Association (JPA), which received 173 applications from Sony Group employees seeking to volunteer in fiscal year 2025. Sony also held a pro bono workshop in Japan that utilized employees’ work skills and experience.
Employee Donations
Sony has operated ongoing matching gift programs whereby each company matches donations made by employees, centered on five Group companies in its U.S. headquarters (SCA, SIE, SMG, SPE, and SNA). In Japan, Sony also adopted the donation app GOJO in fiscal year 2025. This provides a structure that lowers barriers to employee participation in social contribution efforts.