It’s been three years since Sony announced its Global Social Justice Fund to raise $100 million for social justice and anti-racist initiatives. The Sony Group includes Sony Music, Pictures, and Sony Interactive Entertainment (the company’s gaming arm).
Since that announcement in 2020, the group has put forth an impressive $11 million for race equity within the gaming industry. They’ve worked with over a dozen companies, non-profits, colleges and universities to help boost training and education through the PlayStation Career Pathways Program.
“We are excited about the possibilities and opportunities that this program will provide for Black and Indigenous students from our partners, and we look forward to sharing our industry expertise with them and learning from them as they matriculate through this experience. We remain committed to the mission of the social justice fund and are thrilled to work with these students and our partners to improve equity and create belonging for the gaming industry,” said a blog post.
It’s not just the money. The program seems to be turning these efforts into real opportunities within Sony. A Sony Interactive post reads: “This fall, we will welcome our first group of students, and they will get mentorship access to Sony Interactive and PlayStation Studios employees.”
The PlayStation Career Pathways Program was established in 2021 and uses a new program to help Black university students access scholarships, mentorships, and early career support in the gaming industry.
Sony says this is just the beginning, as the first three years have been so successful across the board, and more programs and initiatives are still being created, expanded, and organized.
