Sony Music reveals over 90 more organisations will receive funding from its Global Social Justice Fund

Sony Music Group’s US$100 million Global Social Justice Fund will offer finance to over 90 new international, national and regional community organisations as part of its third round disbursement.

Organisations from across Africa, Australia, Canada, Latin America, New Zealand, the UK and the US will benefit from the cash injection.

Organisations being funded this round include those which focus on educational initiatives (24%), civic and community engagement programs (23%), civil rights and social justice organisations (21%), youth advocacy organisations (17%), and equal rights, cultural and wellness programs (15%).

Towalame Austin, Sony Music Group’s executive vice president of philanthropy and social impact, said the company has a responsibility to be good stewards of the fund, “which means that we need to be intentional and careful about how the fund is utilised”.

“One hundred million dollars is a significant amount of money; you need to develop a strategic plan that will help you reach your goals and objectives. At the same time, we knew we wanted to begin making an impact in communities around the world immediately,” Austin added.

Austin noted that round three of the funding was going out to the most diverse and expansive list of organisations yet.

“More specifically, this round of funding will support charities focused on education, civic and community engagement programs, civil rights and social justice reform, youth advocacy, LGBTQ+ initiatives, cultural and historical institution preservation as well as mental health and wellness programs. Sony Music Group has a presence in more than 60 countries and this latest round gets us closer to serving all of those communities,” Austin added.

The Global Social Justice Fund was launched last year and has since funded over 300 global organisations. It aims to fund multi-year programs in support of social justice and anti-racist activities.

At the time of launch, Sony Music Group’s chairman, Rob Stringer, said the company stands against discrimination everywhere.

“Racial injustice is a global issue that affects our artists, songwriters, our people and of course society at large,” he said.