Environmental Principles

Microsoft Environmental Sustainability and Principles

Microsoft follows strict policies to ensure that the company remains in full compliance with international environmental regulations and the specific environmental requirements of each country/region where we do business. Microsoft actively works to protect our natural resources by doing the following:

  • Conserving, reusing, and recycling. Where feasible, Microsoft conserves natural resources by using recycled materials and supplies, efficiently using energy, and participating in recycling programs for Microsoft products after they have served their useful life. Microsoft encourages and supports the sustainable use of renewable natural resources.
  • Reducing and disposing of waste. Microsoft reduces and where possible eliminates waste through source reduction and recycling at company facilities. All waste is safely and responsibly handled and disposed of.
  • Developing safe and sustainable products. Microsoft develops, manufactures, and markets products that are safe for their intended use. Our environmental policies and practices aim to protect, conserve, and sustain the world's natural resources as well as to protect Microsoft customers and the communities in which we live and operate.
  • Making environmental stewardship part of our business relationships. At Microsoft, we strive to incorporate our environmental principles into our business relationships. We seek similar commitments to the environment from our major suppliers. We participate in industry groups to set industry standards on environmental practices. We strive to keep our customers informed about our efforts, and we welcome their feedback.
  • Continually improving our performance. We set objectives and targets to ensure continuous improvement in our environmental performance. Microsoft values employee contributions to our environmental initiatives. We regularly review our business activity and assess our environmental programs, practices, and goals to evaluate progress and to identify areas in which further improvements can be made.
  • Demonstrating responsibility to our stakeholders. We engage our stakeholders about our objectives and targets, and we periodically communicate our progress to the Board, our shareholders, our customers, and members of the public.
Back to Top

Our goal is to be principled, transparent, and accountable as we develop new versions of Windows. These voluntary principles are intended to provide the industry and consumers with the benefits of ongoing innovation, while creating and preserving robust opportunities for competition.

Brad Smith
General Counsel
Microsoft