We have expanded the list of climate policies we assess company engagement with to incorporate land-use related policy, referring to legislative or regulatory measures to enhance and protect ecosystems and land where carbon is being stored. Assessments under this category are currently underweighted in terms of their contribution to the overall company metrics. This weighting will be progressively increased over the next 6 months.
We adjusted the terminology used to describe the queries running down the left-hand side of our scoring matrix and added additional explanatory text to the info-boxes. This has no impact on the scores and methodology. It has been done following user feedback to improve clarity.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Steve Kitay, Senior Director of Microsoft, is a member of AIA's Board of Governors (as of February 2023)
Steve Kitay
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Steve Kitay, Senior Director of Microsoft, is a member of AIA's Board of Governors (as of February 2023)
Steve Kitay
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Microsoft is a member of the US-Turkey Business Council
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Microsoft is a member of the US-UK Business Council
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Microsoft is a Board Member of the US Chamber of Commerce (as of December 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Microsoft is a member of the US-Turkey Business Council
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Microsoft is a member of the US-UK Business Council
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Microsoft is a Board Member of the US Chamber of Commerce (as of December 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft is listed as a Board Member of NAM (as of December 2022). In May 2019, Microsoft stated that NAM does not represent the company on climate change, but does not appear to have updated this statement since then.
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft is a member of NAM. Frederick S. Humphries, Corporate Vice President of U.S. Government Affairs is on the board of NAM (2020)
Frederick S. Humphries Jr.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Senior Executive of Microsoft is a Board Member of NAM
Frederick S. Humphries
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft is listed as a Board Member of NAM (as of December 2022). In May 2019, Microsoft stated that NAM does not represent the company on climate change, but does not appear to have updated this statement since then.
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft is a member of NAM. Frederick S. Humphries, Corporate Vice President of U.S. Government Affairs is on the board of NAM (2020)
Frederick S. Humphries Jr.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Senior Executive of Microsoft is a Board Member of NAM
Frederick S. Humphries
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Senior executive is co-chairman of the data management working group (correct as of January 2023)
Dr. Guido Brinkel
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Senior executive is co-chairman of the data management working group (correct as of January 2023)
Dr. Guido Brinkel
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft serves on the Board of Directors and Leadership Circle for CEBA (as of December 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft serves on the Board of Directors and Leadership Circle for CEBA (as of December 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft serves on the AEE governance team and is a listed as an AEE Leader (as of December 2022). Microsoft joined the AEE Board of Directors in June 2022
Brianne Miller, Energy and Sustainability Policy Director
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft are Leadership Council members
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft serves on the AEE governance team and is a listed as an AEE Leader (as of December 2022). Microsoft joined the AEE Board of Directors in June 2022
Brianne Miller, Energy and Sustainability Policy Director
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft are Leadership Council members
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
A Microsoft executive is on the VNO-NCW daily board (As of May 2021)
Ersnt-Jan Stiger
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
A Microsoft executive is on the VNO-NCW daily board (As of May 2021)
Ersnt-Jan Stiger
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Microsoft appears to be a member of BusinessEurope (2018)
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Microsoft is in BusinessEurope's Corporate Advisory and Support Group (as of December 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Microsoft appears to be a member of BusinessEurope (2018)
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
Microsoft is in BusinessEurope's Corporate Advisory and Support Group (as of December 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft UK CEO is a member of CBI's Board and President's Committee (as of June 2021 - unclear as of December 2022)
Microsoft UK CEO Clare Barclay
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft Limited is a member of CBI President's Committee, Tech Group, South East Council and Public Sector Partners Council (2020)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft UK CEO is a member of CBI's Board and President's Committee (as of June 2021 - unclear as of December 2022)
Microsoft UK CEO Clare Barclay
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft Limited is a member of CBI President's Committee, Tech Group, South East Council and Public Sector Partners Council (2020)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
A senior executive of Microsoft is chair of an ICC Commission (as of December 2022)
Brent Sanders
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
A senior executive of Microsoft is chair of an ICC Commission (as of December 2022)
Brent Sanders
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft is a member of the Corporate Leaders Group Europe (as of December 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft is a member of the Corporate Leaders Group Europe (as of December 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft is one of over 100 direct members of BCA (as of December 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft is one of over 100 direct members of BCA (as of December 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft Korea is a direct member of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association (KSIA) (KSIA website, last accessed September 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Microsoft Korea is a direct member of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association (KSIA) (KSIA website, last accessed September 2022)
not specified
--no extract--
In this section, we depict graphically the relationships the corporation has with trade associations, federations, advocacy groups and other third parties who may be acting on their behalf to influence climate change policy. Each of the columns above represents one relationship the corporation appears to have with such a third party. In these columns, the top, dark section represents the strength of the relationship the corporation has with the influencer. For example if a corporation's senior executive also held a key role in the trade association, we would deem this to be a strong relationship and it would be on the far left of the chart above, with the weaker ones to the right. Click on these grey shaded upper sections for details of these relationships. The middle section contains a link to the organization score details of the influencer concerned, so you can see the details of its climate change policy influence. Click on the middle sections for for details of the trade associations. The lower section contains the organization score of that influencer, the lower the more negatively it is influencing climate policy.
Open PDF file of Data Source
Open PDF file of Data Source
Open PDF file of Data Source
Open PDF file of Data Source
Open PDF file of Data Source
Open PDF file of Data Source
Climate Lobbying Overview: Microsoft is actively and positively engaging on change policy, with a particular focus on policy to transition the electric power sector. The company engages in both the US and EU, offering support for the US Build Back Better and Inflation Reduction Act as well as increased ambition in the EU Fit for 55 package. At the same time, Microsoft remains a member of several industry associations that actively engage in opposition to climate policy, including the US Chamber of Commerce where it serves on the Board and the National Association of Manufacturers.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Microsoft offers positive top-line support for climate action. In a November 2022 joint letter with the World Economic Forum (WEF), signed by CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft supported GHG emissions reductions in line with limiting warming to 1.5C. In September 2022, Microsoft released two policy briefs outlining the global climate policies – both broad and specific – that align with its climate advocacy priorities, making the case for a greater ambition in a wide range of policies to respond to climate change. Microsoft also clearly supports the Paris Agreement, as evident in the same WEF joint letter from November 2022 supporting more ambitious NDCs in the build up to COP27.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: Microsoft has supported a range of specific climate policies, primarily in the US and EU. In a November 2022 joint letter with WEF, CEO Satya Nadella supported investments to make agricultural production more resource efficient globally. In a May 2022 Open letter to EU President Ursula von der Leyen, Microsoft supported increased ambition for a number of policies that form part of the EU Fit for 55 package, including the Energy Efficiency Directive and buildings legislation the Renovation Wave and Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, Renewable Energy Directive, and EU ETS reform.
Previously, the company expressed support for emissions trading in a joint letter to US lawmakers on the Pacific coast recommending cap and trade policies as well as a letter commending Virginia lawmakers for their decision to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. However, in an open letter through the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders in October 2021, Microsoft took a more negative position by supporting a global carbon market with escalating prices of at least USD50-100 by 2030, while suggesting that such policies must control carbon leakage.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Microsoft appears to support the urgent transition of the energy mix, endorsing multiple policies in the energy, power, and transportation sectors from 2020-22. In August 2022, just before the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in the US, Microsoft supported the climate provisions in the bill through a C2ES joint letter. The company’s September 2022 policy brief, Accelerating global decarbonization efforts, makes the case for increased ambition in both the EU and US – beyond the IRA and Fit for 55 package – to urgently decarbonize the power sector. In various joint letters with the Ceres BICEP coalition between 2021 and 2022, Microsoft has supported light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicle standards including a federal ZEV mandate similar to California’s Advanced Clean Trucks rule.
Industry Association Governance: Microsoft is a member of Advanced Energy Economy, which has engaged positively on various forms of climate policy in the US at both the federal and state levels. Conversely, Microsoft is a Board member of the US Chamber of Commerce, and previously was on the Board of the National Association of Manufacturers, though it no longer appears to serve on the Board and stated in 2019 that the organization does not represent its views on climate change policy. It is also a member of Business Europe, which engages with largely negative positions on EU climate policy. Microsoft has not published a full review of its industry associations.
InfluenceMap collects and assesses evidence of corporate climate policy engagement on a weekly basis, depending on the availability of information from each specific data source (for more information see our methodology). While this analysis flows through to the company’s scores each week, the summary above is updated periodically. This summary was last updated in Q4 2022.