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Sony establishes $100m global relief fund to support COVID-19 affected individuals

This includes frontline medical workers, children and educators, and those in the entertainment industry.
Written by Aimee Chanthadavong, Contributor

Sony has announced it will put $100 million into establishing a COVID-19 global relief fund to support those affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

"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," Sony president and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said.

Through this fund, $10 million will put into the World Health Organization's (WHO) COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund that aims to assist medical workers and other frontline responders of the virus.

The Solidarity Response Fund for WHO was set up by the United Nations Foundation and Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, together with Médecins Sans Frontières, the United Nations Children's Fund, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Other supporters of the fund include Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Cisco, American Express, and Spotify.

Sony's relief fund will also be used to support children and educators who work remotely. This will include exploring ways for technology to be used to support educational activities.

Members of the entertainment industry, such as those in music, pictures, games, and animation, including up-and-coming artists, who have been impacted by the cancellation or postponement of concerts, live events, or the shutdown of film and television productions will also receive assistance from the relief fund, Sony said.

According to the Japanese multinational, the company's 110,000 employees worldwide have also been given the chance to contribute to the fund through a matching gift program.

Sony added it is also working with external partners to explore other ways to support activities that prevent the further spread of coronavirus or contribute to the treatment of the virus.

Other ways tech giants have been pitching in to help fight against COVID-19 have included donating masks and other medical protective gear to frontline medical workers. Facebook, Apple, Samsung, and Razer are among those that have made donations.  

Meanwhile, Amazon, Microsoft and Palantir are reportedly joining forces to help the UK's National Health Service analyse data to determine where resources including ventilators, hospital beds, and doctors are most needed.

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