Our Focus

“Microsoft is committed to principled, accountable, and transparent business practices that meet our responsibilities as a global company.”

– Brad Smith, General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Legal and Corporate Affairs

One tangible example of our commitment to integrity and good governance is our partnership with groups like the Center for Political Accountability to apply strong standards for transparency and reporting on our participation in the policy process. For instance, when the Citizens United Supreme Court case opened new avenues for corporations to fund unregulated areas of political advocacy, Microsoft adopted a policy that we would not engage in those activities.

Each day we interact with a variety of individuals and groups—including our customers, partners, competitors, co-workers, shareholders, vendors, government and regulatory agencies, and the communities in which we operate. We are committed to interacting with all of these audiences in a respectful, ethical manner and in compliance with applicable laws and regulatory requirements. We train employees annually in our Standards of Business Conduct and have strong compliance systems to ensure the principles are upheld and take corrective action if they are not. We have a sophisticated set of Political Engagement policies to ensure that our participation in the policy process is transparent and maintains appropriate and strong anti-bribery and anti-corruption policies and systems. Download the Anti-Corruption Policy for Representatives (Word file, 36 KB) to learn more.

In working to conduct our business with integrity, we engage with a wide range of stakeholders across all parts of our business operations. We also benefit from participating in a range of groups and initiatives addressing corporate responsibility including the United Nations Global Compact, Business for Social Responsibility, the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, and the World Economic Forum’s Partnering Against Corruption Initiative.