Microsoft appeases shareholder activists by pressuring suppliers to be ethical and green, but environmental watchdogs question the tactic's effectiveness.
From PCWorld:
From PCWorld:
After years of failing to get Microsoft to adopt a formal environmental sustainability policy, shareholders seem to have won: Microsoft will now insist its hardware suppliers comply with the company's social responsibility requirements.Microsoft Strong-Arms Hardware Makers into Social Responsibility
Hardware makers will be asked to go beyond good environmental behavior and adopt Microsoft's full code of conduct. These cover legal compliance, business ethics, labor and human rights standards, respect for intellectual property and environmental protection. Two years ago, Microsoft was booted off the Nasdaq Sustainability Index "due to inadequate disclosure of quantitative environmental metrics," according to Microsoft. For the past two shareholder meetings, activist investors have been trying to get Microsoft to take board-level action to improve its sustainability track record.
