Sony carries on the tradition, dating back to its establishment, of contributing to society and helping to meet changing needs via activities related to the company’s expertise. Our social contribution activities focus in particular on the use of Sony technologies and products to foster creativity in children.
Sony’s Social Contribution Activities
Science Museums—Fostering an Interest in Science
Sony ExploraScience (Japan, China)
These science museums help visitors to understand scientific laws and principles and learn about the fascinating world of our evolving digital technology while having fun with hands-on experiences.
http://www.sonyexplorascience.jp/english/
SonyWonder Technology Lab (US)
This interactive museum offers music, movies, video games and digital technology exhibits based on the convergence of education, entertainment and technology.
http://wondertechlab.sony.com/
CD Workshop (Sony EMCS Corporation, Hamamatsu TEC)
This program targets mid-to-late primary school-aged children. The aim is to foster an interest in science by giving children the opportunity to enjoy the creative activity of making a simple CD player. Employees participate as volunteer assistants. The CD players, which are assembled from educational kits developed by employees, produce sound using light reflected from spinning cardboard discs. Workshops have been held at various venues, including ExporaScience (Odaiba, Tokyo), the Hamamatsu Science Museum, and Gifu Science World.
Sony Foundation for Education
The mission of Sony Foundation for Education is to stimulate curiosity and creativity in children through science, thereby helping them into grow into adults with the courage to meet new challenges.
Of the four activities currently undertaken by the Foundation, the Sony Science Education Program for Children is at the heart of the Foundation’s original mission when the Foundation was first established in 1959 as the Sony Fund for the Promotion of Science Education in Japan. The aim of this continuing program is to promote science education through educational grants. Primary and junior high schools are invited to submit papers on educational planning and practice relating to the theme of fostering children with enquiring attitudes and an appreciation for the sciences. The best submissions are selected for awards and educational grants. To date, over 10,000 schools have submitted papers, and approximately 5,000 have received awards.
The Sony Foundation for Education also regards fostering children to develop enquiring and scientific attitudes in early childhood as an important priority, and since 2002 has implemented the Sony Preschool Education Program for Children. Educational support activities under this program target children aged three to five. In addition to providing support for kindergarten and nursery school teachers throughout Japan, the Foundation also seeks to promote activities by presenting successful initiatives on the program’s website.
The Sony Science Teachers Association (SSTA) is a voluntary organization of approximately 1,900 teachers working in primary and junior high schools throughout Japan. Its purpose is to support research and training activities. Since FY05, the Sony Foundation for Education has started the Wellspring of Science Inspiration---Children’s Schoolhouse of Dreams, based on direct participation by children. In FY07 it launched the Sony Mono-Zukuri Workshop and began to participate in exchange activities with educational organizations in other countries.
