Microsoft to draw a line in use of its technology by government agencies

Published 8 June 2026 · tech

Microsoft huamn rights commitments and due diligence BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Microsoft has a longstanding human rights program aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business

Microsoft huamn rights commitments and due diligence BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Microsoft has a longstanding human rights program aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and other international standards. We have ongoing processes to identify, assess, and address human rights risks across our business. These processes are continuous and integrated into our operations. As described in our Global Human Rights Statement (see aka.ms/humanrights), Microsoft is committed to conducting continuous human rights due diligence worldwide, in line with the UNGPs. These commitments inform our responsibility to respect human rights, including identifying and addressing salient human rights risks associated with our operations, products, services, and business relationships. Key features of our program include • Regular Risk Assessments: We conduct regular human rights due diligence across our business, including periodic, formal human rights impact assessments (HRIAs). These due diligence efforts occur at multiple levels (such as enterprise-wide, for specific products, and in sensitive regions) to identify actual, or potential, salient human rights risks and impacts that we may cause, contribute to, or be directly linked with, either through our own activities or as a result of our business relationships. Findings from all our human rights due diligence efforts are integrated into our business practices, and we track implementation to ensure learnings and mitigations are incorporated. Formal HRIAs are typically conducted by third-party experts in business and human rights to ensure a neutral, rights-based review. • Integration into Business Processes: Human rights considerations are embedded into Microsoft’s policies and daily operations. Contractual terms prohibit misuse of our services to violate human rights. Cross-functional teams work together to incorporate human rights safeguards into product design and deployment, market entry, sales processes, and supply chain management. This integrates due diligence into decision-making rather than being treated as a standalone activity. • External Perspectives: Microsoft conducts regular engagement and consultation with external stakeholders, including vulnerable populations or their trusted representatives, to understand their perspectives and experiences. We also consult regularly with human rights experts and civil society organizations to benefit from their expertise and perspectives. We engage with these stakeholders through formal meetings, participation in multistakeholder forums, focus groups, surveys, and direct interviews. • Continuous Improvement: Our due diligence is on-going and adaptive. We update assessments when conditions change and learn from new challenges to refine our approach. This continuous cycle of assess-act-review epitomizes the UNGP concept of due diligence as a dynamic process. • Transparency: Microsoft has a strong track record of publicly reporting on its human rights commitments, processes, and progress. Our 2025 Human Rights Transparency Report (covering fiscal year 2025) brought together our legacy supply chain reporting and broader human rights report to provide a more integrated view of our value chain efforts. The report describes our approach to managing salient human rights issues, key actions taken, and lessons learned over the prior year. Microsoft also published executive summaries of its 2025 saliency assessment and HRIA of generative AI.