Microsoft community partnerships

Working with industry leaders and organizations to help people realize their full potential

Related Links • Cyber Security: Help keep kids safer online • Explore the Microsoft in Education roadmap • Learn more about global citizenship at Microsoft • Microsoft grants help you serve your community In this section • Academic excellence • Student lifestyle • Innovative solutions • Community partnerships

At Microsoft, we believe every successful corporation has a responsibility to use its resources and influence to make a positive impact on the world and its people — and we take that responsibility seriously. Our commitment to global corporate citizenship is grounded in our company values and mission, manifested through our business operations and practices, and carried out by Microsoft employees and suppliers worldwide.

Here is just a glimpse into how Microsoft puts its commitment to citizenship into action through partnerships and programs that contribute to the knowledge economy, help improve security and Internet safety, and promote responsible business practices.

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	Microsoft helps states see tangible results in education
	Microsoft contributions to the knowledge economy
	Microsoft helps improve security and Internet safety
	The Microsoft commitment to using responsible business practices

Microsoft helps states see tangible results in education

Education is the single most important investment in our future. At the heart of its success are the people involved-the entire learning community-from teachers and students, to parents and administrators. That's why Microsoft – in partnership with public and private organizations, community leaders, and business partners-is striving to foster innovation and economic development by improving access to powerful technology, programs, and services.

Click the file for your state, or one near you, to see some of the exciting initiatives taking place to help the people in your community and across the United States achieve their full potential.

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Microsoft contributions to the knowledge economy

Helping countries improve their global competitiveness, promote local economic growth and development, and drive innovation are important components of Microsoft's citizenship efforts.

To succeed in 21st century global markets, governments around the world are striving to improve their countries' competitiveness and ensure an increasing standard of living for their citizens. Achieving these ambitious goals requires countries to harness the power of the knowledge economy, which, through the use and application of technology, facilitates ongoing innovation; creates skilled, well-paying jobs; and promotes economic growth. Education is at the heart of these efforts. Microsoft helps through programs such as Microsoft Unlimited Potential, a global initiative designed to bring social and economic opportunity to the estimated 5 billion people who are not yet realizing the benefits of technology.

With Partners in Learning, Microsoft is partnering with governments, departments of education, and other key stakeholders to offer a spectrum of education resources for students and teachers. The Partners in Learning program invests Microsoft resources — people, partnerships, services, philanthropy, and products — to stimulate positive change in K-12 education. The focus is on developing the individual and the academic organization to support 21st Century Learning, digital inclusion, and education reform.

As a founding member of Partnership for 21st Century Skills, Microsoft lends its support to the leading advocacy organization focused on infusing 21st century skills into education. Bringing together the thought and power of business and education leaders, the organization then applies these insights to education reform through technology.

Microsoft also recognizes that for millions of people, the promise of technology is still unrealized. We've therefore made a comprehensive commitment to promote digital inclusion that includes training a quarter of a billion people underserved by technology by 2010.

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Microsoft helps improve security and Internet safety

As an industry leader, Microsoft recognizes its responsibility to help make the Internet safer. Our ultimate goal is to help create an environment in which adults, children, and organizations are more secure and can enjoy the full benefits of the Internet. This requires diligent effort to guard privacy, empower parents, and protect children, while combating computer crimes (including hacking and viruses), identity theft and phishing, spam, and spyware/adware.

While the Internet offers children unparalleled educational resources and entertainment, it also contains dangers for children in the form of inappropriate and sometimes illegal content and online predators. To help address these concerns, Microsoft is continually developing more advanced tools to help provide a safer online environment for children. We're also working with law enforcement and industry organizations, such as the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), to help curb the presence of illegal materials and predators on the Internet. And we're continuing to focus on educating consumers, since safety must start with parents and childcare providers educating themselves and their children about the risks present on the Internet.

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The Microsoft commitment to using responsible business practices

How Microsoft conducts its business is as important as delivering outstanding products and services. This includes how we work with customers, partners, governments, vendors, and communities worldwide. We have a number of formal programs and policies in place to promote a culture of integrity throughout the company.

For instance, Microsoft is committed to human rights, so not only do we conduct our operations in compliance with the law of each country in which we operate, but also in a manner that promotes the realization of human potential — including in the areas of intellectual and economic development, technological innovation, open communications, and free expression. We therefore engage with government officials to advocate policies and practices that advance these values.

At Microsoft, we believe that diversity and inclusion enrich our performance and products, the communities where we live and work, and the lives of our employees. As we continue to develop our workforce to better reflect the growing diversity of our communities and the global marketplace, our efforts to understand, value, and incorporate differences become increasingly important. Microsoft has established a comprehensive and specific plan to promote and integrate diversity at every level within our organization and in everything we do.

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