A

Project report
on

“Corporate Social Responsibility of MICROSOFT”

In partial fulfillment of the requirements of

Master of Management Studies
conducted by
University of Mumbai
through

Rizvi Institute of Management Studies & Research

under the guidance of

PROF. DEBABRATA SENGUPTA

Submitted by

ABUZAR SHAIKH

MMS

Batch: 2021 – 2023.

 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

This is to certify that Mr. Abuzar Shaikh, a student of Rizvi Institute of Management
Studies and Research, of MMS IV bearing Roll No. 2 and specializing in Marketing
has successfully completed the project titled

“Corporate Social Responsibility of MICROSOFT.”

under the guidance of Prof. Debabrata Sengupta in partial fulfillment of the

requirement of Masters of Management Studies by University of Mumbai for the
academic year 2021– 23

Prof. Debabrata Sengupta Prof. Jamil Saudagar Dr. Shariq Nisar

(Project Guide) (Course Coordinator) (Principal)
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
To list who all have helped me is difficult because they are so numerous and the depth is so
enormous.

I would like to acknowledge the following as being idealistic channels and fresh dimensions in the
completion of this project.

I take this opportunity to thank the University of Mumbai for giving me chance to do this project. I
would like to thank my Principal, Dr. Shariq Nisar for providing the necessary facilities required for
completion of this project.

I take this opportunity to thank our Prof. Debabrata Sengupta for his moral support and guidance.

I would also like to express my sincere gratitude towards my project guide, Prof. Debabrata
Sengupta whose guidance and care made the project successful.

I would like to thank my College Library, for having provided various reference books and
magazines related to my project.

Lastly, I would like to thank each and every person who directly or indirectly helped me in the
completion of the project especially my Parents and Peers who supported me throughout my project.
 DECLARATION
I, the undersigned Mr. ABUZAR SHAIKH hereby, declare that the work embodied in this project
work titled “Corporate Social Responsibility of MICROSOFT” forms my own contribution to the
research work carried out under the guidance of Prof. Debabrata Sengupta is a result of my own
research work and has not been previously submitted to any other University for any other
Degree/Diploma to this or any other University.

Wherever reference has been made to previous works of others, it has been clearly indicated as such
and included in the bibliography.

I hereby further declare that all information of this document has been obtained and presented in
accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct.

ABUZAR SHAIKH

Name and Signature of the learner

Rizvi Institute of Management Studies and Research

Carter Road, Bandra West

Mumbai, Maharashtra - 400051

 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Quality management approach for an organization, centred on quality, based on the participation of
all its members and aiming at long-term success through customer satisfaction, and benefits to all
members of the organization and to society. The overall objective of the mission was to give an
updated overview on Quality management processes.

In this document, you can see different different aspects of quality management in products. This
document composes of background and history, processes, importance of QM, advantages and
disadvantages etc. There are two parts in this document first part consists of introduction to quality
management in products and process and the second part consists of importance of quality
management, pros and cons, challenges in quality management and ways to overcome them.

The special part of this project is, it includes case studies related to quality management in products.
Case studies of companies namely Maggi and Nokia has attatched to the later part of the document.
The motive to attatch the case studies is to give the practical view to all the basics which are present.
The philosophy concentrates on quality as a primary component of the organization’s drive for
competitive advantage. Marketing decision-making is directly affected by such a system because
quality is a component of product/service design and can be an important decision-making criterion
employed by potential buyers.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

SR NO PARTICULARS PAGE
NO

1. Introduction to CSR

1.1 Purpose of CSR

1.2 Importance of CSR

1.3 Benefits of CSR

1.4 How to make a business socially responsible

2 Research methodology

3 About Microsoft

3.1 Mission and vision

3.2 Products

4 The approach of Microsoft toward CSR

4.1 Carbon negative

4.2 Water positive

4.3 Zero Waste

4.4 Ecosystems

5. Impact of Microsoft’s CSR

6. Generating sustainable livelihoods in India

7. Criticisms and challenges

8. Conclusion

9. Bibliography
Chapter 1 –
Introduction to
CSR
Resolution of global ethical issues such as environmental and human rights violations are not
as simple as they seem. The imposition of ethnocentric standards by developed countries
upon emerging or undeveloped countries is often inappropriate and does more harm than
good. In the realm of corporate social responsibility, more needs to be done by multinational
companies than a perfunctory show of performance of audits and cursory enhancement of
monitoring controls. With global worldwide competition and the proliferation of multi-media
communication technology, multinational companies are under pressure more than ever to
place strategic significance on corporate social responsibility ("CSR").

To avoid criticism and negative publicity, these organizations have adopted codes of conduct
and policies addressing issues ranging from environmental sustainability to child labor,
human rights, and dangerous working conditions. Even so, the adoption of CSR policies by
multinational companies often seems to be just a marketing event, and comparatively very
few global companies seem to consider their CSR policies as an ethical operational issue of
the business itself. This perception, albeit correct, is due to numerous incidences of
violations, which have surfaced and publicized by the media over the past decades such as
Nike, Wal-Mart, Gap, Mattell(see Brown, 2006), and Apple (see Hahn, Kim, & Park, 2012),
to name a few. In their defense, often human rights and other serious ethical violations are
not committed directly by the multinational companies but by their contractors in the supply
chain, and the resolution of those issues in supply chain management is not simple, to say the
least. Yet, the global entities, whose size can be analogous to a country itself and whose
multi-billion dollar industries have higher turnover than the gross national product of many
countries (Scherer & Smid, 2000), are held accountable because multinational organizations,
with their economic superiority and immense power and influence over government and
other entities, have a significant social impact and, more so, considerable and extensive
leverage over their suppliers. They have unquestionable power to dictate the terms of their
contract and control and oversee their supply chain management. Still, the standard response
of the majority of multinational companies to the discovery and promulgation of violations
seems to be the mere performance of an audit and then
cursory enhancement of monitoring controls. After the initial perfunctory show of effort to
appease the critics and the ethical-minded public, businesses seem to go back to the usual of
doing relatively nothing about the violations (see Brown, 2006)

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a notion that is becoming increasingly important in

corporate boardrooms, business press, and academia. CSR affects companies in most markets
through increased legal and societal requirements on their ethicality, on a national as well as
on an EU- and international level. Several reasons explain why companies are engaging in
CSR ranging from the moral obligation to brand and legitimacy. In either case, it is no longer
possible for companies to save on social and environmental activities as a way of
staying competitive.

Companies need to find the key to gaining a competitive advantage and part of this involves
integrating their CSR into their operations and all business practices. There is a wide and
complex range of issues surrounding CSR and the conflicting opinions on the topic make it
difficult for companies to know what should be done and how. Understanding the inner
workings of a successful example of CSR work could be a useful tool for companies wishing
to improve their economic and environmental sustainability.

There seems to be an infinite number of definitions of CSR, ranging from the simplistic to
the complex, and a range of associated terms and ideas - including corporate sustainability,
corporate citizenship, corporate social investment, the triple bottom line34, socially
responsible investment, business sustainability, corporate governance amongst others. By the
EU definition of CSR35, it can usually be agreed upon that CSR consists of taking on more
responsibility than the purely traditional economic one or more than is required by law.36
This is normally understood as encompassing environmental and social responsibilities.37 In
other terms, CSR implies a stakeholder view, e.g. that companies have responsibilities
beyond the need to generate returns for their shareholders. This is obviously not in line with
the shareholder view of the firm as formulated by Milton Friedman (1970): “the business of
business is business”. CSR is in this regard considered merely a useless fad. This
stance is often upheld to the difficulty in measuring the direct financial benefits of CSR.38
The correlation between CSR and financial results, albeit not necessarily positive has,
however, not been proven to be negative.39 There is still ambiguity in that regard in the field
of research

Although the term CSR appears to be relatively new, research shows that there has been an
evolution of the concept over many decades. The fact that the terminology has changed over
the years may suggest that it will continue to do so, in line with developments in the fields of
business, politics, and society. According to Windsor40, there has been a notion of business
leaders adhering to ”some conception of responsibility and responsiveness practices” since
the 1920s; others consider the merits of corporate responsibility as far back as the 1880s with
the philanthropic industrialists of the Victorian period.41 It is nonetheless clear that this
subject is in no way a new phenomenon. Words and definitions have evolved and changed, as
has the world. It has been very difficult to find consensus about a definition, or a common
delimitation to the area. There is also little consensus on whether this is a strength or a flaw.

1.1 – Purpose of CSR

The ultimate purpose of CSR is to maximize shared value among organizations, employees,
customers, shareholders, and community members. While the precise value looks different
for each of these stakeholders, the mutually beneficial nature of CSR initiatives can still be
sustained.

Never before was there such an impetus for developing coherent CSR practices. A rock-solid
CSR strategy becomes necessary for building a strong brand image, boosting sales, gaining
more employees, customer loyalty, and much more.

Today, nobody wants to invest in a business that doesn’t have a ‘sustainable’ vision.
Therefore, a robust yet holistic CSR strategy figures at the heart of any corporate entity and
also assumes the role of an indispensable tool for companies to reap profits and gain
stakeholders’ support.
1.2 – Importance of CSR

Since the rise of capitalism, making a profit has been the primary, if not the sole, objective of
the business. As Milton Friedman expressed in 1970, “The social responsibility of business is
to increase its profits.” This view – that corporations should focus on increasing shareholder
value above all else – had gone more or less unchallenged for decades. At the turn of the
century, however, new ideas began to emerge.

Deloitte says, “Organizations are no longer assessed based only on traditional metrics such as
financial performance, or even the quality of their products or services. They are increasingly
judged their impact on society at large—transforming them from business enterprises into
social enterprises.”

Moreover, a study shows that only 18 percent of organizations put social responsibility as a
top priority, yet 77 percent say it’s “important.”

Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives benefit both the company as well as the
environment (ecological and social) in which they live in.

• Improves Brand Value

Being socially responsible brings recognition to the company. It shows that your company is
more than just profits. More people start knowing about your company and the good work
that it is doing. Customers start trusting your business, and it builds an overall positive image
of the brand.

• Builds Customer Loyalty

Research shows that 55 percent of consumers are willing to pay more for products from
socially responsible companies. Your customers want to feel that they are a part of
something. Even if not directly, they feel good to be part of a company with a vision and the
willingness to do well.
 • Engages Millennials

“7 in 10 young adults consider themselves social activists.” Everyone wants to feel they are
part of a bigger cause that helps shape lives. They want employers who match their ideals
and are doing something to help those in need. A survey found that 78 percent of millennials
said that CSR directly influences their decision to join an organization.

• Helps Attract and Retain Talent

When employees feel they are part of an organization that is more than just about profits,
they’ll want to stick around. To help them achieve this, a lot of companies are now providing
their employees with the benefit of taking time off to volunteer in their organizations of
choice.

• Increases Employee Engagement

CSR requires employee assistance. Right from designing and developing the CSR program to
volunteering for a cause. So, when you include your employees in such important events,
they feel valued and appreciated. It helps improve your relationship with them, helps build
the team’s dynamics, and increases the overall employee engagement level of the workforce.

Microsoft started its CSR initiatives back in 1983. Being in the game for a long time, they
still rank as one of the most “giving” organizations. Their Microsoft Philanthropies works
with nonprofits, and public and private agencies to empower people and local communities.

But the most meaningful and timeless return to being socially responsible is the sheer joy and
satisfaction that comes with doing something good for society. I think we all sleep better
when we know we helped someone smile today.
1.3 Benefits of CSR
As per a report by Babson College, United States, CSR programs can also lead to an
increased market value and reduction in systemic risk, cost of debt, and staff turnover rate.

This leads us to quickly sum up how organizations can benefit through CSR initiatives while
also creating a positive socio-economic, environmental impact:

• Positive impact on the community

• Bolstered brand image

• Increased sales and revenue

• Attracting new talent

• Increased customer loyalty

• Employee retention, better productivity

• Enhanced access to capital and markets

• Operational cost savings

• Better risk management/reduced systemic risk

• Minimized environmental impacts

It must be noted that the benefits of CSR may also be among the goals and purposes of an
enterprise’s CSR activity. More and more organizations are now addressing socio-economic
issues that are directly linked or relevant to their business.

A firm may originally want to set out with the purpose of reducing its operational cost,
thereby making a positive impact on the community.

Consider this example, a company may want to cut its operational cost by switching to
locally produced resources. In the process, it ends up creating employment opportunities for
the local community while also promoting indigenous culture and its produce.
Simply put, if the community on which a company depends does not approve of its business,
but rather brands it unsustainable, it may translate into severe losses for the organization.
This is where CSR comes into play and makes it a win-win, virtuous cycle for both
businesses as well as society.

A company may choose to run coordinated activities or set up a dedicated, interdependent

program for its CSR initiative. Organizations may want to create more value for society than
for the firm, achieve common value/s, or create value primarily for the indigenous
community. CSR initiatives of a given firm may tend to have fluid, porous boundaries; a
crossover with different purposes but with one end goal for sure, if not the only goal, that is
generating socio-environmental results.
1.4 How to make business socially responsible
A socially responsible company must ensure that policies promote well-being and decrease
environmental or social harm to be socially responsible. For one thing, companies can
voluntarily volunteer, encourage environmental conservation, and donate generously to
charities responsibly.

A socially responsible organization can enhance its brand and image. Social responsibility
allows employees to make a positive impact on the organization through corporate resources.
It is possible for formal corporate social responsibility programs to boost employee morale
and enhance worker productivity.

A company’s CSR policy has an ethical purpose due to its perception that CSR acts as a
moral imperative. Motivation for CSR comes with having a positive and intangible impact on
the well-being of both the company and society.

A business’s ethical responsibility is when it makes a point to uphold fair labor standards in
its internal operations and its partnerships with suppliers. They do this by establishing set
guidelines about workplace discrimination and working conditions. They might also make
sure that the products they receive from suppliers are fair trade by conducting in-person
inspections and ensuring that the workers at factories or farms receive adequate pay.

For example, A sustainable clothing company sends inspectors to their factory locations to
ensure that factory workers are receiving proper treatment like having access to clean
drinking water, food, rest breaks, and restroom facilities.
Chapter 2 –
Research
Methodology
This paper focuses on why Microsoft engages in CSR and what effects this has on strategy
and communication. The research is based on Microsoft and the interview scope of the essay
consists of top management at Microsoft headquarters and top and middle management at
Microsoft. It establishes a theoretical framework based on earlier research as well as on
theoretical concepts in the CSR field. The results point towards mainly business-oriented
motivations for CSR. However, with growing societal expectations of Microsoft, legitimacy
is increasingly important and so Microsoft is on the verge of changing its CSR strategy and
CSR communication.

This is a case study, an analytical approach, which focuses on exploring and analyzing the
CSR policies to measure Microsoft's ethical behavior in a business environment. Results -
Microsoft stands out as a multinational company whose CSR policies are ingrained into the
business itself as a part of its ethical operations, rather than a marketing event. Conclusion -
Beyond profit, Microsoft actively works together with its suppliers and the nation-states to
eradicate the harmful social causes of the various challenges it faces in the global business
environment.

An exhaustive literature survey regarding the topic and related concepts has been done.
Secondary data inclusive of quantitative and qualitative data as well collected from various
sources including books, research papers, and websites is used for the purpose
Chapter 3 – About
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation, leading developer of personal-computer software systems and
applications. The company also publishes books and multimedia titles, produces its line of
hybrid tablet computers, offers e-mail services, and sells electronic game systems and
computer peripherals (input/output devices). It has sales offices throughout the world. In
addition to its main research and development center at its corporate headquarters in
Redmond, Washington, U.S., Microsoft operates research labs in Cambridge, England
(1997); Beijing, China (1998); Bengaluru, India (2005); Cambridge, Massachusetts (2008);
New York, New York (2012); and Montreal, Canada (2015).

3.1 Founding and early growth

In 1975 Bill Gates and Paul G. Allen, two boyhood friends from Seattle, converted BASIC, a
popular mainframe computer programming language, for use on an early personal computer
(PC), the Altair. Shortly afterward, Gates and Allen founded Microsoft, deriving the name
from the words microcomputer and software. During the next few years, they refined BASIC
and developed other programming languages. In 1980 International Business Machines
Corporation (IBM) asked Microsoft to produce the essential software, or operating system,
for its first personal computer, the IBM PC. Microsoft purchased an operating system from
another company, modified it, and renamed it MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System).
MS-DOS was released with the IBM PC in 1981. Thereafter, most manufacturers of personal
computers licensed MS-DOS as their operating system, generating vast revenues for
Microsoft; by the early 1990s, it had sold more than 100 million copies of the program and
defeated rival operating systems such as CP/M, which is displaced in the early 1980s, and
later IBM OS/2. Microsoft deepened its position in operating systems with Windows, a
graphical user interface whose third version, released in 1990, gained a wide following. By
1993, Windows 3.0 and its subsequent versions were selling at a rate of one million copies
per month, and nearly 90 percent of the world’s PCs ran on a Microsoft operating system. In
1995 the company released Windows 95, which for the first time fully integrated MS-DOS
with Windows and effectively matched in ease of using Apple Computer’s Mac OS.
Microsoft also
became the leader in productivity software such as word-processing and spreadsheet
programs, outdistancing longtime rivals Lotus and WordPerfect in the process.

Microsoft's electronic publishing group, which was founded in 1985 and is best known for its
multimedia encyclopedia Encarta, has grown tremendously. It also joined the information
services and entertainment industries with a variety of products and services, including the
Microsoft Network and MSNBC, among others (a joint venture with the National
Broadcasting Company, a major American television network, which began in 1995 and
ended in 2012).

As a result, by the mid-1990s, Microsoft, which had gone public in 1986, had risen to
become one of the most influential and profitable corporations in American history. It had a
remarkable track record of profiting 25 cents on every dollar of sales. The company's net
income surpassed $2 billion for the first time in fiscal year 1996, and its unbroken streak of
profits maintained even throughout the Great Recession of 2007–09 (its net income had
climbed to almost $14 billion by fiscal year 2009). However, its quick expansion in a fiercely
competitive and rapidly changing business engendered resentment and jealously among
competitors, with some alleging that the company's activities violated US antitrust laws.
Microsoft and its defenders fought back far from stifling competition and technical
innovation, its rise had encouraged both and that its software had consistently become less
expensive and more useful.

3.2 Chasing the Internet

Microsoft was late to recognise the commercial potential of network systems and the
Internet, in part due to its phenomenal success in PC software. It released Windows NT in
1993, a groundbreaking application that connected dispersed PCs and increased network
security and stability. After a slow start, Windows NT was heralded as the likely standard for
PC networking by 1996, soon surpassing Novell's NetWare in market dominance. Microsoft
did not enter the Internet software market until Netscape Communications Corp. released
Navigator, a Web browser tool that made the once-complex task of accessing the World
Wide Web much easier.
Microsoft abruptly developed its own browser, Internet Explorer, made it free, and
aggressively sought to persuade computer manufacturers and Internet service providers to
distribute it exclusively. By 1996, Microsoft had begun the process of incorporating Explorer
directly into Windows by bundling it with the operating system. As a result, Netscape filed a
lawsuit accusing Microsoft of breaking its 1995 consent decree, which helped persuade the
Justice Department to reopen a comprehensive probe into Microsoft.

After a 30-month trial, a court found Microsoft in breach of the Sherman Antitrust Act
(1890) and ordered the company's dissolution in 1999. The dissolution order was overturned
by an appeals court in 2001, but the business was nonetheless found guilty of illegally
attempting to preserve a monopoly. In retribution for what were regarded as Microsoft's near-
monopoly actions, the European Union (EU) issued the highest fine in the organization's
history, €497.2 million ($611 million), in 2004. The EU slapped an even greater fine on
Microsoft in February 2008, €899 million ($1.35 billion), for defying the EU's 2004 antitrust
judgement against the corporation for illegally bundling multimedia products with its
Windows operating system exclusion of competitors.
3.3 Vision and Mission
Empowerment is emphasized in Microsoft's corporate vision and goal statements as a value
or benefit that the company's products can deliver to customers. The corporate purpose
reflects the computer hardware and software industry's corporate vision. This match allows
the organisation to design and implement plans and tactics to push employees to do more in
order to help the company grow. This requirement also ensures customer value, particularly
through Microsoft's corporate culture implementation. Managerial decisions in the
organisation lead to strategic objectives based on the mission statement. These goals are
identical to those in the vision statement, and they reflect the organization's strategic
coherence, as seen by Microsoft Corporation's generic competitive strategy and intensive
growth tactics.

Microsoft’s Corporate Mission Statement

Microsoft’s corporate mission is “to empower every person and every organization
on the planet to achieve more.” This mission statement shows that the business is all
about empowerment of people and organizations. Such empowerment is achieved through
the utility of the company’s computing products. The following components are significant
in Microsoft’s corporate mission statement:

> Empowerment

> Every person and every organization on the planet

> To achieve more

The first part of Microsoft's corporate goal demonstrates what its products can achieve for
consumers. Such empowerment can take the shape of faster data processing in offices and
improved information access in households, for example. The target market is defined in the
second part of the company's mission statement, which in this case includes all individuals
and organizations worldwide. In addition, the company's corporate objective states that its
computer technology and software products help consumers achieve more. Because both
phrases are about empowerment, Microsoft's corporate mission statement is comparable to
the company's vision statement. The corporate mission statement, on the other hand,
places a greater emphasis on the practical benefits of attaining more. This benefit or value is
mirrored in Microsoft's marketing mix plans and approaches.

Microsoft’s Corporate Vision Statement

Microsoft’s corporate vision is “to help people and businesses throughout the world realize
their full potential.” This vision statement shows that the company presents its business and
computing products as tools that people and business organizations can use for their
development. Microsoft’s corporate vision statement has the following components:

> People and businesses throughout the world

> Help to realize

> Full potential

The first component of the vision statement partly defines Microsoft’s target market, which is
the global market. Instead of selling software products to individual customers only, the
company also sells its products to organizations. The second component of Microsoft’s
corporate vision statement shows what the business intends to do. For example, the company
aims to provide products that assist customers toward the achievement of their full potential,
which is specified in the third component of the corporate vision. Thus, Microsoft’s
corporate vision presents the target market, what the company’s technology products do, and
what customers can achieve through such products.

Microsoft's mission statement outlines the company's global market span as well as a general
concept of how the company benefits its clients. The corporate mission, on the other hand,
does not precisely describe the company in terms of its essence or what it accomplishes.
Mission statements should, in theory, give a general picture of the nature of the business and
the goals that the firm aspires to attain. Microsoft's corporate mission has to be improved in
this scenario. A suggestion is that the company's mission statement be improved by
describing how the company achieves its corporate goal. For example, the company can
specify rapid innovation
in computing networks and related goods in order to increase its computer technology and
software industry. Additionally, information regarding Microsoft's objective is needed to
update the corporate mission statement.
3.4 Products
Microsoft has come a long way since its humble beginnings in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Here, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, two young college dropouts, founded a small boutique
computer company. If you’re looking to find new software solutions this post is for you! Get
ready for the best Microsoft products all business owners and teams find very useful
throughout the years.

Following are the top 10 products of Microsoft of all time.

1) Windows 95

This really needs no introduction. Great functionality, Windows File Manager, Program
Manager, Windows Explorer, Print Manager, and dynamic interface are just a few reasons
why Windows 95 is at the top of our list. This fully integrated version of Windows and DOS
and offered built-in internet support and came bundled with Internet Explorer.

The interface of Windows 95 was so great and useful that every version of Windows
succeeding Windows 95 uses an upgraded version of the original user interface. It’s the
interface that hundreds of millions of people around the world are familiar with. A desktop
with icons, a start button that gives access to programs, and a taskbar that displays the
programs that are currently running. Windows 95 was released during the dot com boom and
certainly assisted in connecting millions of users to the World Wide Web for the very first
time. It’s hard to describe its place in technology history and its impact will remain
undeniable for eternity.

2) Microsoft Azure

Microsoft Azure is a cloud web service that has the potential to be the next great Microsoft
product. Azure is, in many ways, Microsoft's future. For businesses and professionals
pursuing Digital Transformation, it provides Virtual Machines, app services, SQL databases,
storage, frameworks, development tools, and much more. Microsoft Azure is used by 95% of
Fortune 500 firms. It provides exceptional horizontal and vertical scalability, which is
something that businesses and
companies are always looking for. It provides Software as a Service (SaaS), Infrastructure as
a Service (Iaas), and Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions (PaaS).

3) Internet Explorer

Web browsers have only been around for a short time. It all started with Mosaic, the
grandfather of web browsers. The evolution of these technologies led to the birth of Netscape
and, later, the creation and release of Internet Explorer in 1995, which went hand in hand
with ViolaWWW. Although Netscape is no longer available, Internet Explorer is still in use.
Despite the fact that Microsoft Edge has superseded Internet Explorer, many professionals
still use it to retain compatibility with older websites. Every version of Windows came with
Internet Explorer as the default web browser. Internet Explorer was many people's first
introduction to the internet. This show, as well as its name, will be remembered for a long
time.

4) Microsoft Office
It's difficult to picture the digital era beginning without text editors. In the mid-1980s,
Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint were released, paving the way for the launching of
Microsoft Office. These three products were published individually, with a slew of more
Office programs to follow in the years to come. Office 95, which included Word, Excel,
PowerPoint, Access, Schedule+, and Binder, was published by Microsoft in 1995. Since then,
professionals and ordinary people all around the world have been using homogeneous
content creation, editing, and management. We appreciate Microsoft Office's efforts today,
from its humble beginnings to the now cloud-based Office 360, which enables organizations
to power their management teams while also providing the fantastic applications we all know
and love.
 5) Xbox 360
With the launching of the Xbox in 2001, Microsoft joined the game console market. It
included internet game services that allowed users to compete without having to be in the
same room. There was also a user interface that was simple to use and a buddy list system.
The Xbox 360, which was introduced in November 2005, expanded on all of this. Over 75
million units have been sold worldwide, drastically changing people's perceptions of
multiplayer games. The Xbox 360 established that online gaming communities could exist on
gaming consoles with games like Halo and Gears of War.

With the debut of Kinect, a webcam placed peripherally for the Xbox 360 that allowed
gamers to play games using motion gestures and voice orders, the Xbox team at Microsoft
went above and beyond. Kinect was a technological marvel in its day, and it ranks the Xbox
360 in the Top 10 Microsoft Products.

6) Visual Studio
Microsoft Visual Studio is a programming environment for creating computer programs, web
services, and mobile apps. The initial edition of Microsoft Visual Studio was published in
1997, and it provided developers with a lot of flexibility thanks to its bundled toolkit, which
gave them a better overall experience and gave them multiple perspectives on different
programming languages, frameworks, and tools. Since 2015, Microsoft's Visual Team has
been devoted to improving Visual Studio's utility by updating the already fantastic interface
and rewriting the toolkit to make programming more efficient.

7) Microsoft Solitaire

Microsoft faced a problem in the 1990s that would influence the ease of use and usefulness
of their applications. Microsoft had adopted the mouse and pointer method for navigating the
graphical user interface of Windows at a time when computer mice were just starting to
become popular. The average person had no idea how to use a mouse. Starting with Windows
3.0 in 1990, Microsoft addressed this issue by incorporating the Solitaire card game with
their operating systems. The
game taught users how to move, click, drag, and drop with a mouse, as well as other basic
mouse motions and activities. Many users were also terrified by Windows' graphical user
interface (GUI) and the mouse, but Solitaire made this frightening task easier. Even today,
new versions of Windows feature Solitaire paying homage to an integral piece of software
that may have influenced an entire generation.

8) MS-DOS

In the 1980s and 1990s, MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) was the most popular
operating system for IBM personal computers. It's a classic interface with simple neutral
colours that integrated many diverse user interfaces and systems before the visual operating
systems we know and use, making them more appealing and extensively adopted among
common consumers. MS-DOS could be said to have defined the term "personal computer."

9) Bing

You might know Bing as the search engine that is historically overshadowed by Google.
Bing is without a doubt not as popular, but can proudly claim the title of second-best behind
the search engine that already has a place in dictionaries (to google something is to look it up
on Google). The power of Bing comes from Microsoft’s various experiences with the search
engines that preceded it. These include MSN Search, Windows Live Search, Live Search,
and Yahoo! Search. Yahoo! Search has a long and storied place in the finance and medical
industries. This gaves Bing access to previously compiled indexes.

10) Windows XP

The most popular operating system for IBM personal computers in the 1980s and 1990s was
MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System). It's a classic interface with simple neutral
colors that combined many different user interfaces and technologies before the visual
operating systems we know and use today, making them more appealing and widely adopted
among regular consumers. The phrase "personal computer" could be argued to be defined by
MS-DOS.
Chapter 4
The approach of
Microsoft toward
CSR
Microsoft is one of the most successful corporations in the world. When it comes to
corporate social responsibility, Microsoft has adopted a proactive approach. Annual reports
are one way to determine whether or not a company is serious about CSR. Annual reports are
largely written for the benefit of investors. A firm may speak about its social and
environmental responsibility. This demonstrates how Microsoft feels about these problems.
Microsoft has released its corporate sustainability report, which follows the requirements of
the Global Reporting Initiative.

The following are some of Microsoft's general CSR objectives:

• Empowering people

• Strengthening the communities

• Protecting our planet

In order to fulfill these broader goals, they have formulated a CSR team. This team is named
the Microsoft Technology and company Responsibility or the TCR team. Apart from the
TSR team within Microsoft, they're also active through the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation. Microsoft founder Gates has donated a serious part of his wealth for
philanthropic purposes. This foundation looks at operationalizing a number of these
philanthropic goals.

In the CSR report of 2020 by Microsoft, their CEO Mr. Satya Nadella said, they believe there
are four areas where they must harness our resources if they are to continue to have a positive
impact on the future of humanity and our planet.

• They must ensure that economic opportunity is inclusive—for every country,

developed and developing; every community, urban and rural; every business, small
and large; and every person, including the one billion-plus people with disabilities.

• They unequivocally and actively support the fundamental rights of people, from
defending democracy to addressing systemic racial injustice and inequity, to
protecting human rights.

• They must address climate change for a sustainable future. That’s why
 they’ve set ambitious climate goals and have detailed plans to achieve them while
empowering others to use technology to create and achieve their goals.

• They are committed to building trust in technology and its use. That’s why they take
seriously our responsibility to earn trust. Without trust, none of our progress is
feasible.

Microsoft corporate social responsibility (CSR) is guided by the citizenship mission of the
corporate which is “to serve globally the requirements of communities and fulfill our
responsibilities to the public”. Moreover, the charitable activities of the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation founded by Microsoft founder Bill Gates is also associated with Microsoft in the
perception of the general public to a certain extent.

The technology giant won a number of awards and achievements for its responsible behavior.
These include ranking 1 on Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s 100 Best Corporate
Citizens 2018, ranking #1 for both, Environment and Social Score which measures corporate
performance using more than 200 factors. Moreover, Microsoft’s behavior as a socially
responsible company has earned the number 2 spot on JUST Capital’s Top 10 Tech
Companies.

Now we shall check out a number of the live samples of how they need to execute the CSR.
They have been working broadly on the aspects of empowering people. Additionally, they
need also checked out ways in which Microsoft as a technology enabler, can help
communities across the planet. Thirdly, Microsoft is additionally committed to scaling back
the carbon footprints of its product so as to guard the environment.

It should be noted here that a number of the actions are driven by philanthropic motives
while some could also be simply following an overall industrial trend. However, the attitude
and effectiveness in these aspects are a testament to a company’s CSR activities.

Microsoft launched a solar project in Nigeria to assist the area’s people. Through this project,
they need established a middle with solar panels to charge the batteries. They have also used
Microsoft Azure, their cloud technology to optimize the
inverters. This has resulted in a self-sustaining and environmentally friendly solution for the
people.
4.1 – Carbon Negative
By 2030, Microsoft will be carbon neutral. Since its founding in 1975, Microsoft has emitted
all of the carbon it has emitted either directly or through energy use. By 2050, Microsoft will
have removed all of the carbon it has emitted from the environment.

Microsoft's commitment to become carbon negative is part of a long history of aggressive

goals and measures to minimise GHG emissions. Microsoft set their first GHG emission
target in 2009, aiming for a 30% decrease from 2007 levels by 2012. Since 2012, Microsoft
has become carbon neutral. Its carbon neutrality goal, like many others, was based on
investment in offsets, which paid others to not emit carbon instead of removing it.

The research, as well as the social and economic effects of climate change, led the company
to the conclusion that being carbon neutral isn't enough, and it made the decision to go
carbon negative in 2020. Microsoft has traditionally focused on Scope
1 emissions (direct emissions from owned or controlled sources) and Scope 2 emissions
(indirect emissions from owned or controlled sources) (indirect emissions from the
generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the company).
All other indirect emissions that occur in a company's value chain are included in Scope 3.
As a result, the corporation has committed to achieving carbon zero for all three Scopes by
2030.

Key facts

The company has purchased over 30 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power with its
internal carbon fee funds, reducing its emissions by 20 million metric tonnes of CO2,
positively impacting over 8.2 million people in emerging nations through carbon offset
community projects, and saving more than USD 10 million per year.

For the sixth year in a row, Microsoft used 100 percent green power across its US operations
in 2020. Since 2013, Microsoft has used renewable energy to power 95% of its operations,
and it has a long history of driving market development through creative off-site, long-term
contracts.

Microsoft's Climate Innovation Fund, which will be launched in 2020, pledges to

invest USD 1 billion over four years in breakthrough technologies and extend finance access
globally.

The challenge

The science is clear: by 2050, the world must transition to a net-zero carbon economy to
avoid the worst effects of a fast changing climate. To achieve net zero emissions, the world
must prioritise dramatic emissions reductions across all sectors, with carbon emissions being
cut in half in the next ten years.

The solution

Instead of reducing carbon dioxide, Microsoft's climate neutrality goal, like many others,
relied on investment in offsets that paid others to not emit carbon. The research, as well as
the social and economic consequences of climate change, led the corporation to believe that
being carbon neutral was insufficient, leading to its 2020 carbon negative promise.

Its objective not only commits Microsoft to being carbon negative by 2030, but also that by
2050, the business will have removed from the environment all of the carbon it has emitted,
either directly or through energy use, since its founding in 1975. This Microsoft goal is also
unique in that it is the first corporate goal to commit to reducing historic emissions. – Since
its inception, the company has essentially neutralised its influence on the environment. In this
approach, the goal goes beyond following global emission reduction strategies as prescribed
by science. It incorporates the concepts of climate justice and equality into business GHG
targets by broadening the scope of accountability from forward-looking to include both
history and future activities.

Helping people

Because Microsoft understands that climatic and environmental concerns do not affect all
communities equally, it has made environmental fairness a top focus. It announced in June
2020 that it would acquire 500 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy through a new creative
relationship with Sol Systems (a renewable energy generator and investor that invests in
communities disproportionately affected by
environmental concerns). This is one of Microsoft's most significant renewable energy
investments (500MW would power more than 70,000 homes in the U.S. per year). Its
collaboration with Sol Systems is a first-of-its-kind effort to link renewable energy
procurement to environmental justice and equity in underserved areas.

Spillover effect

To assist the firm and the globe achieve net zero emissions, Microsoft is putting its balance
sheet to work by accelerating existing technology and investing in new technological
innovation. Its Climate Innovation Fund, which will be launched in 2020, pledges to spend
USD 1 billion over four years in new technologies and expand financing access to those
working to solve the problem around the world.

Microsoft's carbon-neutral initiative is not just replicable, but also actionable, thanks to its
transformational collaborations. Transform to Net Zero, which was launched in July 2020,
has Microsoft as a founding member. This small group of proven leaders intends to
demonstrate and support the business transformation required to reach net zero emissions by
2050, as well as drive larger change with their efforts.
4.2 – Water Positive
Water is necessary for survival. They rely on it to ensure our survival. How human cultures
have progressed over time has been shaped by this basic need. The phrase "follow the water"
has guided explorers from pre-Columbian origins to the period of antiquity, as they sought
and continue to seek fresh prospects for the spread of human civilization.

While water is abundant, covering 70% of the Earth's surface, 97 percent of it is saline, found
in our oceans, and unfit for drinking or crop production. Freshwater is not evenly distributed
or accessible around the world, and it is found disproportionately in areas where people do
not reside And as human civilization has expanded, they have reached the point globally
where humanity depletes the available freshwater supply at a rate of 4.3 trillion cubic meters
every year – the majority of which goes to agricultural and industrial uses.

This must be changed. That's why Microsoft is establishing an ambitious goal of becoming
water-positive in its direct operations by 2030. They are reducing their water use intensity –
or the amount of water they use per megawatt of energy consumed in their operations – and
replenishing water in the water-stressed areas where they operate. On a global scale, this
means that by 2030, Microsoft will have replenished more water than it consumes.

They hope that these actions, like their other environmental pledges, will contribute to a
rising movement to solve the world's sustainability issues.

It is evident that more momentum is required. According to the United Nations Water, over
two billion people do not have access to safe drinking water today. And the lack of water is
only becoming worse as a result of climate change. By 2050, the United Nations predicts that
one in every four people would live in a country with chronic freshwater shortages.
According to the World Bank, combined with growing demand, climate-induced reductions
in freshwater supply might cut water availability in cities by more than 66 percent by 2050.

To avoid a global water crisis, humans will need to reduce the quantity of water they
consume to run their economies and societies, as well as a coordinated effort to ensure there
is enough water in the locations where it is most needed. This will necessitate a shift in how
they manage their water systems, as well as a coordinated effort on the part of all companies
to account for and balance their water consumption. Microsoft, as a global technology firm,
is willing to act on both fronts, taking responsibility for its own water use and collaborating
on technological platforms to assist others in doing so.

Over the last year, Microsoft has pledged to become a carbon-neutral, zero-waste firm that is
developing a new global computing platform to revolutionize how they monitor, model, and
ultimately control Earth's natural systems their pledge today is to become water positive by
2030 adds a fourth pillar to this work. And as in their other areas, they’re committed not only
to setting ambitious goals for themselves but to using technology to better help their
customers to do the same.

Water positive by 2030

Microsoft plans to be water positive by 2030, which means they will refill more water than
they use. They'll accomplish this by returning more water to stressed basins than they
consume globally across all basins. How much water they use and how strained the basin is
will determine the amount returned.

Their replenishment strategy will include initiatives like wetland restoration and the removal
of impermeable surfaces like asphalt, which will assist replenish water back into the basins
that need it the most. They want to concentrate their replenishing efforts in about 40 highly
strained basins where they operate. This is based on a scientific analysis of the world's water
basins. The World Resources Institute (WRI), a renowned nonprofit global research
organization focused on natural resources, has assigned a "baseline water stress" score to
each of the 16,396 basins that contain the majority of the world's freshwater. If the amount of
water removed surpasses 40% of the renewable supply, a basin is deemed "seriously
stressed." This category includes 4,717 basins around the world.

All of this work builds on their current investments and progresses water reduction and
replenishment throughout their operations. This includes a Microsoft-wide
sustainability design guideline that mandates water conservation at all locations worldwide.
These are some of them:

Microsoft's new Silicon Valley campus, which will open later this year in California, will
have an on-site rainwater collection system and waste treatment facility, ensuring that all of
the site's non-potable water is recycled. Rainwater and wastewater will be managed and
reused using an integrated water management system. The university will save 4.3 million
gallons of potable water per year by recycling its water.

Nearly halfway around the world, their new Herzliya, Israel campus features water- efficient
plumbing fixtures that drive up water conservation by 35%. In addition, 100% of water
collected from air conditioners will be used to water plants on-site.

In India, Microsoft’s newest building on their Hyderabad campus will support 100%
treatment and reuse of wastewater on-site for landscaping, flushing, and cooling tower
makeup.

At their headquarters redevelopment in Puget Sound, all new office buildings will reuse
harvested rainwater in flush fixtures and low-flow systems, which is projected to save more
than 5.8 million gallons annually.

At their new data center region in Arizona, available for use in 2021, they are innovating
ways to reduce their water use intensity and replenish water in this highly stressed region.
They will use zero water for cooling for more than half the year, leveraging a method called
adiabatic cooling, which uses outside air instead of water for cooling when temperatures are
below 85 degrees Fahrenheit. When temperatures are above 85 degrees, an evaporative
cooling system is used, acting like a “swamp cooler” that you find in residential homes. This
system is highly efficient, using less electricity and up to 90% less water than other water-
based cooling systems, such as cooling towers. They are also partnering with First Solar to
provide solar energy rather than traditional electricity generation, which is expected to save
more than 350 million liters of water annually.

Their reduction in water use intensity and their replenishment commitments address
the key issue of water availability, which is the amount of water that can be used to meet
demand. That, however, is only part of the challenge. Equally important is the issue of
accessibility, which is the supply of safe drinking water and sanitation. That is why they are
partnering with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to ensure more than 1.5 million
people have access to clean drinking and sanitation water. They’ll focus this work in seven
countries. They’ll start by partnering with Water.org, a leading global nonprofit focused on
underserved communities, to help people in Brazil, India, Indonesia and Mexico. They’ll
then expand this work with partners in China, Malaysia and South Africa.

Digitizing water data

Microsoft will also use their technology to better understand where water stress is emerging
and optimize water replenishment investments across a region. Through their AI for Earth
program they are supporting projects in each of these areas:

Vector Center works with governments and companies around the world to better understand
the impact of water availability and accessibility. One of the challenges it addresses is water
risk and scarcity in urban communities where data is still often analog, printed and stored in
stacks. It is digitizing data and has developed a platform called the Perception Reality Engine
on Azure to collect, correlate and analyze data and produce an overall picture of what’s
actually happening in real time, to better see how to forestall the threat of when water may
not be available. It also can provide a historic view of water in a particular area. The
Perception Reality Engine uses data on rainfall, surface water amounts, plant growth and
more to map water availability around the world and flag where crises are occurring or may
soon occur. It also overlays this information with news stheirces and social media to
determine where the public perception is different than reality so governance, education and
behavior changes can be made before water runs out in a region.

The Freshwater Trust, a nonprofit that protects and restores freshwater ecosystems, and
Upstream Tech, a company that develops technological solutions for water conservation,
worked together to develop a tool called the Basin Scout Platform. It uses satellite data,
data about crop growth and farming practices, and applies
machine learning to assess field-level agricultural practices and their impact on water
resources at scale, including scenarios about how to be more water- and cost- efficient. This
helps conserve and protect the water basins that are main sources of the public’s water
supply.

Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability is a California nonprofit focused on land
use and transportation in underserved communities. It is working to address the challenge of
drinking water availability in California’s Central Valley. About 1.5 million people in the
region rely on private domestic wells for drinking water, and many of these wells often fail
during drought or due to groundwater management issues. The Leadership Counsel is using
AI to predict domestic well failure resulting from groundwater changes and resulting
drinking water shortages. They’re providing that information to local agencies that can use
this information to prevent well failure and improve water resource management and
planning.

Water Resilience Coalition

Microsoft understands that no one company or organization can solve the world’s water
crisis. The private sector also has a significant opportunity to have a positive impact on water
availability and accessibility: 150 of the world’s biggest companies have the potential to
influence one-third of global freshwater use. Launched earlier this year, the Water Resilience
Coalition is an initiative of the United Nations Global Compact CEO Water Mandate.
Founded by seven companies, including Microsoft, the coalition has since grown to 16
industry-leading corporations, all of whom have pledged to work collectively on water
issues. They are working together to identify priority basins for collective action and to set
targets for improving conditions in those basins. As part of their water goals, they will
partner with Water Resilience Coalition members to co-invest in availability, accessibility
and quality projects in water-stressed basins and they will actively recruit other companies to
join them in this important coalition.

Policy

Governments also play a fundamental role in ensuring the availability of safe, clean
drinking water, maintaining and expanding water infrastructure, protecting critical water
ecosystems, and responding to water crises. They will use their voice at the local, national
and global levels on public policy that would increase water access and availability and
improve quality.

Improving Data in Water Stressed Areas:

Microsoft can’t solve a problem that they don’t fully understand. Governments ought to
develop more accurate and up-to-date assessment of ground and surface water levels and
how they are changing over time. This data can help local stakeholders calculate and forecast
demand and supply balances; track water quality; facilitate disaster prevention and early
warning systems; and ultimately develop innovative solutions. Microsoft is encouraged to see
the EU’s plans to create a Common European Green Deal data space, as part of the European
Strategy for Data which aims to harness the potential of environmental data to help achieve
the EU’s ambitious climate objectives. To support such efforts, Microsoft will work with
partners to deploy tools that provide better hydrologic data that enable enhanced water
management.

Upgrading Water Infrastructure:

Microsoft need governments to invest in upgrading and expanding water infrastructure. This
is critical to provide safe drinking water, treat storm and wastewater, manage water levels,
and protect against climate impacts, particularly in the most vulnerable communities. These
investments can also provide much needed job creation. National governments should look
for opportunities to integrate water infrastructure into COVID-19 recovery packages and
foster innovative solutions. They applaud the EU for including water-related green
infrastructure in the InvestEU Programme as well as recent bipartisan effort by the U.S.
Congress to consider reauthorization of critical water infrastructure funding. They will
encourage national governments to prioritize these critical investments in the months and
years ahead.
Integrating water into climate strategies:

Water is the primary means through which climate change will be experienced. As such, they
need government to address climate and water challenges in a more integrated way. One way
to do this is through the long-term goals that countries set as part of their national climate
plans or Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) under the Paris climate
agreements. As national governments work to update their 2030 climate plans, in advance of
COP26, the annual UN climate conference, in 2021, they should include an explicit water-
related target in their climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.

To help advance these policy efforts, Microsoft will join Water Europe to promote smart
water solutions and will encourage our other trade associations and advocacy partners in the
U.S. and EU to play a more active role in advocating these policies.

Protecting the world’s oceans

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that by
2030 the value of the ocean economy could exceed $3 trillion and more than 40 million jobs.
To realize this potential economic impact, the private and public sectors and civil society
must work together to reverse declining ocean biodiversity resulting from climate change,
pollution and overexploitation? That requires good data, governance and policies, and
technological innovations like smart sensors, autonomous robots, data analytics and AI to
better monitor, model and manage oceans.

That’s why they’re joining the World Economic Forum’s Center for the Fourth Industrial
Revolution Network for ocean innovation and technology in Norway (C4IR Ocean). It’s
dedicated to using data, technology and governance frameworks to protect the world’s oceans
and increase the sustainability of ocean-based industries.

Unlike roads, oceans have not been adequately mapped, so they are not making informed
decisions. They are one of the organizations working with C4IR Ocean on its Ocean Data
Platform. This global, open-source platform gives data scientists, app developers and marine
spatial planner’s access to data coming from historic and
real-time data sources to develop solutions to improve ocean health.
4.3 – Zero waste
Every year, more than 11 billion tons of waste are produced worldwide according to the
United Nations Environment Programme. A byproduct of our daily lives and every sector of
the world’s economies, the trash they discard pollutes our land, clogs our waterways,
depletes our natural resources and contaminates the very air they breathe. They recognize the
urgent need to protect the world’s ecosystems and reduce the carbon emissions that come
from the creation, distribution and disposal of waste. That’s why they’re announcing today
our goal to achieve zero waste for Microsoft’s direct operations, products and packaging by
2030.

Microsoft’s zero waste goal is the third sprint in Microsoft’s broad environmental
sustainability initiative launched earlier this year focusing on carbon, water, ecosystems and
waste. They are setting ambitious goals for each and empowering their customers with the
technology and their learnings to do the same.

To address their own waste creation, Microsoft will reduce nearly as much waste as they
generate while reusing, repurposing or recycling their solid, compost, electronics,
construction and demolition, and hazardous wastes. They’ll do this by building first-of-their-
kind Microsoft Circular Centers to reuse and repurpose servers and hardware in their
datacenters. They’ll also eliminate single-use plastics in their packaging and use technology
to improve their waste accounting. They will make new investments in Closed Loop
Partners’ funds. And finally, they’ll enlist their own employees to reduce their own waste
footprints.

By 2030, they will divert at least 90 percent of the solid waste headed to landfills and
incineration from their campuses and datacenters, manufacture 100 percent recyclable
Surface devices, use 100 percent recyclable packaging (in Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, OECD, countries), and achieve, at a minimum, 75 percent
diversion of construction and demolition waste for all projects. This work builds on their
ongoing waste reduction efforts that started in 2008 which resulted in the zero waste
certifications of their Puget Sound Campus and their datacenters in Boydton, Virginia and
Dublin, Ireland.
Microsoft Circular Centers
To meet the growing demand for their cloud services, their datacenter footprint – and the 3
million servers and related hardware that power it – must expand. Today, these servers have
an average lifespan of five years and contribute to the world’s growing e-waste problem. To
reduce this waste, they plan to repurpose and recycle these devices through new Microsoft
Circular Centers, which will be located first on their new major datacenter campuses or
regions, and eventually added to existing ones.

Using machine learning, they will process servers and hardware that are being
decommissioned onsite. They’ll sort the pieces that can be reused and repurposed by them,
their customers, or sold. They will use their learnings about reuse, disassembly, reassembly,
and recycling with design and supply chain teams to help improve the sustainability of future
generations of equipment. Microsoft Circular Centers build on their earlier circular cloud
initiatives to extend the lifecycle of their servers and minimize the waste sent to landfills.

In Amsterdam, their Microsoft Circular Center pilot reduced downtime at the datacenter and
increased the availability of server and network parts for their own reuse and buy-back by
their suppliers. It also reduced the cost of transporting and shipping servers and hardware to
processing facilities, which lowered carbon emissions. They expect the Microsoft Circular
Centers to increase the reuse of their servers and components by up to 90 percent by 2025.

Eliminating single-use plastics in packaging

Approximately 300 million metric tons of plastic are produced every year, 50 percent of
which is used one time. And, half of this plastic waste comes from packaging. The scale of
this problem and its impact on their oceans, waterways and land requires bold action, which
is why they are eliminating single-use plastics from their packaging by 2025. This includes
plastic film, primary product packaging and their IT asset packaging in their datacenters.
Improving waste data
Today, there is no consistent, high-quality data about the amount of waste, the type and
quality, where it is generated and where it goes. In addition, data differs considerably
depending on the waste category. For example, data about hazardous waste and electronics is
well accounted for and tracked due to regulations and robust management systems for both.
However, data about construction and demolition waste does not have consistent
measurements or reporting. Waste data needs a standardized methodology, better
transparency and higher quality. Without more accurate data, it’s nearly impossible to
understand the impact of operational decisions, what goals to set, and how to assess progress,
as well as an industry standard for waste footprint methodology.

Since they can’t solve a problem that they don’t fully understand, they are investing to
digitize waste data across the company to identify opportunities to improve waste data
collection. This digital solutions for their operations will include technology to track and
report on dashboard waste, Power BI platforms for e-waste chain-of- custody, and improving
Microsoft Power Apps which helps them capture real-time waste data. As they gain clarity
and confidence in their broader waste footprint they will include more precise waste data in
their public reporting.

Climate Innovation Fund investment: Closed Loop Partners

They’re investing $30 million in Closed Loop Partners’ funds to help accelerate the
infrastructure, innovation and business models for supply chain digitization, e-waste
collection, food waste reduction, and recycling industry products to build a more circular
economy at scale. Closed Loop Partners is a pioneering investor in circular economy
innovation with a track record of working with corporate partners to pilot new solutions. In
addition to benefiting from the technologies that are being developed, they plan to use
learnings from their partnership to inform Microsoft’s circular economy initiatives in their
devices and cloud value chains, specifically packaging, e-waste and waste diversion from
landfills.

Empowering customers
They will share their learning from their own zero waste journey with their customers,
who are already using their technology to better understand, measure and reduce their own
waste footprint. In 2019, Microsoft along with H&M Group, Target, PVH Corp. and others
partnered with Eon to explore the need and to formulate a suggestion of global standard
powered by Azure called Circular ID. This platform tracks a garment in an effort to create a
more sustainable fashion economy by enabling reusing clothing through rental, resale or
recycle, rather than being discarded.

Dutch nonprofit Madaster Foundation is also using digital identities to eliminate waste.
Madaster’s platform tags materials with an identity, so they can be recycled, resold and
reused, driving more sustainable construction decisions. Vancouver- based Spud.ca and its
eGrocery software platform platform FoodX, an online organic food delivery company, built
a logistics platform on Microsoft Azure and Dynamics 365 that uses AI to lower food waste.
In one year, SPUD diverted 265,971 kilograms of waste from the landfill, preventing 444
tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere, and saved 3,564,275 liters of water.

Of course, recycling and reusing materials to divert them from landfills is key to reducing
waste. Colchester Borough Council in the U.K. provide services to 192,500 residents, from
licensing to recycling. The council is moving function-specific systems to Dynamics 365,
unifying its data across intelligent business applications. The recycling tracking system
provides reporting via Microsoft Power BI, showing data like heatmaps of problem spots for
collections or where residents need more encouragement to recycle.

Resource management firm Veolia is embracing technology to transform its business with
circularity in mind. It is using Microsoft technology across its business, from dispatch and
garbage collection, and with the use of sensors to collect data including vehicle location, bin
weight and location, photo capture of bin contents and more. The data is used for a wide
range of scenarios including flagging improper bin contents to prevent problems with
downstream recycling and processing.
Enlisting employees

Microsoft’s employees play an important role in their company’s waste footprint. As they did
with their carbon and ecosystems announcement, they are inviting their employees to
participate in their waste reduction efforts. To show employees the impact of their actions
and how much waste Microsoft generate, they are developing an internal Power BI waste
data dashboard. This will be available starting with employees based at the Puget Sound
campus and expand to campuses around the world. The dashboard will display the average
waste generated per employee and can be used to test effectiveness of waste reduction
campaigns, implementation of waste prevention initiatives and more.

In addition, Microsoft will launch their first waste reduction challenge, a month-long, online
challenge connecting individual action to collective impact later this year. Their employees
will have the opportunity to learn how Microsoft can participate in Microsoft’s corporate
waste program and commit to taking impactful action in their daily lives. The challenge will
focus on actions employees can take at home during the global health crisis. These
challenges will incorporate themes of waste prevention, material reuse, circular economy and
waste equity. They will also create more opportunities for their employees to become
actively involved, both in company-wide activities, like their annual weeklong hackathon
that will include a call for proposals on waste reduction.

Collective challenge
No one person or organization can solve the global waste problem. It will take all of us doing
their part, including using better data to understand the problem and make smart waste policy
decisions.

Zero waste is an ambitious goal, but minimizing our own waste footprint is essential to
preserving the natural resources and reducing waste-associated carbon emissions to ensure
our economies and societies around the world thrive for generations to come.
4.4 – Ecosystem
In today's hi-tech economy, the digital business transformation has become a business reality.
It is critical for our organizations to adapt in order to provide value for customers in an ever-
changing business environment and fast-changing technology landscape. As a result, today's
businesses must transform in order to respond to new competitive forces and create new
value. If done strategically, digital business transformation leads to a deeper understanding of
customers, allowing you to design products and services that best meet their needs,
streamline operations through applications that improve responsiveness, service levels, and
lower costs, and empower teams by providing them with the right information at the right
time.

Within the Microsoft stack, there are five major pillars that make up the Microsoft
Ecosystem. It's a cloud-based business applications platform that incorporates Customer
Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), productivity apps,
and Artificial Intelligence (AI) components. The Common Data Service platform serves as
the foundation for these pillars.

It's vital to peel back the layers of the 5 pillars of this stack, as well as the Common Data
Service platform, to have a better understanding of Microsoft Ecosystem.
Common Data Service or CDS
What is CDS, and what is its significance? (There are a lot of them) CDS (Common Data
Service) is a service that allows you to store and manage data in a secure manner. Business
apps rely heavily on this data. What method is used to keep it? A set of entities is used to
hold data in CDS. What is an entity, by the way? It's a collection of records that are used to
store data in the same way that a table does in a database. The Common Data Service comes
with a standard set of entities, but it also allows users to construct custom entities that are
unique to their company.

Why Common Data Service?

So, what's the deal with it? You can, for example, use Power Apps to create powerful
applications with this data.

So, now that we have a better understanding of CDS, why should we use it?

Our data into standard and bespoke entities provides a secure and cloud-based storage option,
which is one of the benefits of CDS. Standard and custom entities have a number of
advantages, including ease of management, security, access to our Dynamics 365 data, rich
Meta data, logic and validation, and a variety of productivity tools. Let's take a closer look at
the advantages of CDS:

It's simple to use and secure.

You don't have to worry about the technicalities of how the meta data and data are kept
because they are both saved on the cloud. Furthermore, because the information is kept in a
safe environment, users can only see it if you grant them access

Because data types and connections are used directly within Power Apps, it has a lot of meta
data.

It has logic and validation built in, allowing you to design calculated fields, business rules,
workflows, and business process flows to ensure quality and streamline business operations.
It boosts productivity by making entities available to boost output and ensure data
accessibility.

It permits data integration from numerous sources into a shared store, as well as a single set
of logic to manage and operate over data, making app development easier.

Because Dynamics 365 Sales, Customer Service, Field Service, Finance, and Operations are
all integrated through the common data service, you can access our Dynamics 365 data from
any of these applications. This will enable you to, for example, to build Apps using Power
Apps.

Dynamics 365 Business Apps

Microsoft has combined its Dynamics CRM and ERP products into a single cloud- based
offering. It revolutionizes CRM and ERP by using intelligence to shift from reactive to
proactive business decisions, empowering people to achieve faster results. The Dynamics
365 Apps, such as Sales, Customer Service, Field Service, Finance & Operations, and
Marketing, are all linked by a shared data service, making it the best-of-breed business
application platform for storing our transactional data. Furthermore, LinkedIn's recent
acquisition enhances the data augmentation of 500 million sales professionals for
Recruitment & Sales.

Azure, Data & Analytics

Is it possible to transform our business with Azure and the Analytics Platform? Yes, we can,
because Azure provides a rapid development platform for us to revolutionise our business,
whether it's through AI, Bots, IoT, or rapid development of mobile and online capabilities.
By analyzing vast volumes of data in real time, it provides improved experiences and enables
for better decision-making. So, how might these business insights based on Azure and
analytics help us transform our company? Here are some examples of intelligent activities
that not only boost customer engagement and income, but also reduce costs.

We can use AI (artificial intelligence) to score leads and opportunities and focus our sales
staff on the best opportunities with the highest value and highest probability of closing. By
merging customer profile information with external data like as Experian
credit scores, one of our customers, a travel firm, uses this to prioritise leads coming in and
stack rank them to maximise income.

We may employ bots to provide technical sales answers for on-the-go reps – simply ask
queries and receive responses. Bots can drive customer service Q&A and route calls to the
most qualified customer support professional based on the bot's first queries.

Real-time video, picture, facial, and text recognition services can be enabled using Cognitive
Services. Did you know that for security reasons, Uber employs face recognition to check
drivers before they pick up customers?

We can also use forecasting algorithms to figure out what inventory values are appropriate.

3rd Party Apps

Like your iPhone or Android has a marketplace filled with apps that enhance your phone,
Microsoft has their own marketplace of apps for Office365, D365, Power BI or separate
Azure web apps, and Machine Learning Algorithms for things such as Forecasting, Fraud
Detection as well. This marketplace also called Microsoft AppSource combines several
separate marketplaces together. Here you can search for apps so that you can try and use,
rather than buying a whole suite of software. The advantage is that users can now tailor fit
small pieces of software to perform a certain business task, that can be user tested, and if
proven a fit, can be used as a service. This parceled app style of software is unique and cost
effective, how? well because you don’t need to spend on unneeded functions as part of the
suite.

Purpose Built Apps

Microsoft PowerApps, a rapid mobile development platform, allows Low code, No code
functionality for nontechnical users to build mobile applications from selectable templates.
With this, you can rapidly expand additional functionality as PowerApps has natural hooks
into the Business Applications, Azure Services and Productivity Apps. You can also leverage
Flow for ease of integration and workflow approvals cross application, as Apps that are
built using Power Apps provide rich
business logic and workflow capabilities to transform manual business processes to digital,
automated processes. Moreover, these Apps can run both in a browser or a mobile device.
Productivity
By exposing business application data into the productivity applications that we use every
day like Outlook can increase productivity. How? For Example, in the past if a customer
wanted to know the status of their order, any open cases, or invoices past due, you would
probably call someone in Backoffice or operations or perhaps log into another system to get
the information. However, now you can see all this information real time without having to
leave you productivity application, since the information is presented in the context of your
conversation.

Leveraging other collaboration applications such as Teams and OneDrive control

conversation, document management, and collaboration related to the business applications
such as sales pursuits, and estimations.

Conclusion

The digital business transformation is about creating value and a competitive edge for the
customer by bringing people together, being data-driven, and streamlining processes.
Microsoft Ecosystem thereby allows unlocking limitless potential by radically changing how
we operate internally and compete in the marketplace. Microsoft Ecosystem leverages digital
transformation by enabling enterprise-wide innovation through technology, and by pushing
into the intelligent cloud assists digital transformation reach every aspect of the business.
This creates a productive workspace that helps employees achieve more. It optimizes
operations that assist in building state-of-the-art digital service on scalable platforms and
engages with customers to provide even greater value.
Chapter 5 - Impact
of
Microsoft’s
CSR
• Microsoft has donated more than $1.4 Billion in terms of software and as well as
services to NGOs around the world that were engaged in addressing
important societal challenges.

• Microsoft has served more than 196,385 non-profits today.

• Microsoft employees have donated more than $158 million to the NGOs that serve
communities in their localities.

• Microsoft has also donated more than $30 million in cash as well as technological
resources to companies that are engaged in serving refugees and other humanitarian
causes.

• In Microsoft 61, companies have signed the Cybersecurity Tech Accord for the
protection and empowerment of civilians online.

• Microsoft also provided computer science education for more than 12 million youths
in 54 countries to prepare them for jobs in the future.

• The company had spent more than $3 billion to help the minority, disabled, veteran,
LGBTQ, and women-owned businesses in FY18.

• Microsoft is cooperating with the Markle Foundation today, to work on empowering

50,000 workers with the skills required to find success in the digital economy by the
year 2020.

• The TEALS program (Technology Education and Literacy in Schools) by Microsoft

is aimed at filling the gap in computer science education. Through this program, more
than 1,000 technology volunteers partnered with teachers for providing computer
science education to above 13,000 students in 344
U.S. high schools.

• Technology has proved a capable tool in handling some of the most pressing
challenges before society. AI and other emerging technologies have proved highly
effective in this area.

• Microsoft is investing in AI to address global challenges, at the same time handle

some toughest global challenges as well as for the advancement of
 society. AI for good is Microsoft’s $115 million commitment to empower those
working to address advanced environmental sustainability, humanitarian crises, and
amplify human capability with AI technology, and help them to achieve their cause.

• Microsoft has undertaken some major projects in Africa to help people and as well as
entrepreneurs find more growth, be more self-dependent, to empower communities
needing technological support that provides higher security and peaceful living.

• In the year 2019, Microsoft introduced an internal carbon fee that helped people to
meet the FY13 goal of carbon neutrality. Also, they continually strengthen
expectations for the hardware production suppliers to improve the working conditions
as well as the environmental performance of global electronics factories. They
recognize the important responsibility is that they must respect human rights, and they
are responsible to work toward bringing the power of technology to bear and
promoting respect for human rights globally.

• Through the Microsoft Technology and Human Rights Centre, Microsoft is working
internally to promote the integration of human rights into the company’s culture,
strategies as well as business operations. Externally, they seek advanced public
understanding of the role business can play to drive respect for human rights.

• As economies shift, industries emerge and technology sets the pace, the gap between
those who have access to skills and opportunities compared to those who don't have
access is becoming glaring. Microsoft believes that technology could bridge this
opportunity to divide and secure the future of young generations and the global
economy. That is the reason they are empowering youth by increasing access to
technology and equipping youth with the tools and skills they need to succeed.
Through their initiatives, programs, and partnerships, they inspire youth to imagine
and build a better future for themselves and their communities too.
• For the young generation to succeed in today’s economy and to build the economy of
the future, they need to first have direct access to both technology and relevant skills
along with support from teachers, leaders, governments, and non-profits.

• They're connecting youth with the resources they need to make a real impact for a
better future.

• Helped youth in gaining new skills, education, and training by providing Youth Spark
grants to non-profits worldwide. Other than that, they create opportunities for 300
million youth globally over the next three years. Moreover, they launched
partnerships with the European Youth Forum, which was the China Foundation for
Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Trust for the Americas, and the African
Centre for Women and ICT, among many other youth-focused non-profits. In FY13,
they awarded grants to a total of 186 non-profit organizations in 62 countries.

• Accelerated learning and collaboration among students and teachers worldwide using
Office 365 for Education which provides access to Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, as
well as a range of communications tools, including instant messaging, email, group
video, and voice chat.

• In some cases, Microsoft executed environmental sustainability as a business

strategy. This measure will benefit the company itself. For instance, the company can
reduce its costs, followed by a consequential rise in production as well as gain a good
reputation. Reduction in costs is due to environmental sustainability saves resources
since it greatly reduces the waste matter.

• Microsoft has also substantially invested its time and resources in Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) under its social sustainability, which is one of its business
strategies. Microsoft must initially involve itself in CSR as it is a platform for vital
decision-making tools centralized on social impacts. There are four fundamentals
that the social sustainability of the corporation
 focuses on. These include health care, safety, charity, and employment equity. The
corporation has achieved a great height in terms of carrying out Corporate Social
Responsibility factors

• Microsoft has achieved sustainable development that reduced its costs of production.
For instance, the use of highly capable manufacturing amenities and the use of
materials that have been recycled have been implemented. This aspect leads
Microsoft to experience an increase in its profits (Dyllick & Hockerts, 2002).

Community Technology Access program

Effort in terms of CSR, one of the approaches is the Community Technology Access

(CTA) the program, that provides refugees with access to ICT skills, equipment, and
technical support in rural, hosting communities and camp-based settings.

Usually, access to educational opportunities is extremely limited, and there is minimal

access to books and updated information. Many refugees have never seen or heard about
a computer. And due to the reason of prospects for repatriation are almost non-existent,
these refugees need to rebuild their finances as well as acquire skills to facilitate local
integration, to eventually become self-reliant. To address the needs, computer labs for the
camps, low- cost Internet connectivity, and training for IT administrators and teachers
who are refugees themselves are provided by the CTA program. Microsoft also provides
access to Windows software and training curriculum such as the Digital Literacy
Curriculum. As refugee camps are often located in remote areas with little or no access to
Internet connectivity or even electricity, innovative solutions are vital. The labs often
need to rely on solar power, and to overcome connectivity challenges, long-distance Wi-
Fi to connect to a regional provider is used. One of the successful pilot programs at a
UNHCR camp is in Rwanda's Kibiza camp. Today, the Kiziba Camp has 18,455
refugees. Ongoing training of 800 computer literate certified beneficiaries per year is
being implemented in a safe learning environment. Two classrooms have been powered
by solar panels,
with a total of 44 low-powered computers with donated software. UNHCR and Microsoft
have started expanding the program globally where there are now over 32 centers
operating in 12 countries.

Using AI to help save lives

Persistent humanitarian crises that were caused by natural and man-made disasters,
oppression as well as other emergencies have invaded our world. While global relief
organizations had scrambled to respond to these events, their work is often reactive and is
difficult to scale. Microsoft believes that technology, like artificial intelligence (AI), can
be great and useful in helping to save more lives, game-changer, take the edge off the
suffering and restore human dignity by changing the way those frontline relief
organizations anticipate, and predict, and better target response efforts.

Microsoft has announced AI for Humanitarian Action, a new five-year Microsoft

program worth $40 million. The initiative will utilize the power of AI to focus on four
priorities, such as satisfying the needs of children, helping the world recover from
disasters, protecting refugees and displaced people, also to promoting respect for human
rights. AI for Humanitarian Action program is part of Microsoft’s AI for Good suite, a
growing $115 million, five-year commitment to work to unlock solutions to some of
society’s biggest challenges with artificial intelligence.

Modeled after the AI for Earth and AI for Accessibility initiatives, Microsoft works
deeply with selected non-governmental organizations (NGOs)s and humanitarian
organizations through financial grants, technology investments, and partnerships that
combine AI and data science know-how with these groups’ core expertise. They are
optimistic that AI for Humanitarian Action will make the pace of innovation faster
through strategic AI projects management that demonstrates new applications, delivers
reusable solutions as well as partners with others to expand initial projects
Chapter 6
Generating
sustainable
livelihoods in India
In an ever-growing economy such as India, it is very essential to make youth ready for their
future. In this regard, Microsoft’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities closely
resemble those of the government’s ‘Skill India’ vision which aims to hone the capabilities of
India’s up and coming generation. These activities broadly aim at providing education and
expertise to women and youth from the underprivileged sections of society. Further,
equipping people with disabilities with technology-enabled learning tools asserts Microsoft’s
firm sense of responsibility to help various kinds of marginalized sections. To realize this
vision, Microsoft has collaborated with non-profit organizations across the country.

In a constantly technologically evolving world, it has become imperative to have basic

knowledge about computers; however, a large section of the underprivileged society in India
lacks any exposure or expertise in this field. Recognizing the gaps here, Microsoft provided
its partner NGOs with a digital literacy curriculum to help impart technical knowledge to
those in need of it. Take for instance the situation in Kashmir Valley. The prolonged political
instability and declining security situation created widespread unemployment in the area.
Recent studies indicate that the state may have the highest unemployment rate in the country.
Hence, the role of non
-state and non-political actors such as CSR wings and NGOs becomes critical.

1) In Srinagar, Microsoft India has collaborated with Aide et Action to provide skill
development and capacity building courses to encourage self-employment amongst the
youth. Through I lead- the name of this training center - both the partners provide courses
in IT and fashion technology, free of cost, for three months. The curriculum design,
technical assistance, and software are provided by Microsoft. Before the training, the
students undergo counseling sessions and a week-long induction to assess their interests
and skill levels.

The training wing consists of three instructors two in IT and one in fashion and a
mobilizer. The mobilizer interacts with the community, village Sarpanch, and other
influencers identifies the students, and motivate them to join the courses. As part of the
IT training, students are taught MS Office, tally, and basic coding software such as C++
and HTML, all of which can help one in running new-age
 platforms such as blogs and websites. Suhail Quyoom and Wasim Ahmed are two such
youth who benefitted from the I lead training.

Both were unemployed, and their parents contacted I lead to get them to enroll in the IT
course. On completion of the course, the duo accumulated money from personal savings.
With some more help from their parents and relatives, they launched a start-up called
‘ELL Mark Enterprises’, which provides services such as desktop publishing,
photography, ticket booking, etc. in Srinagar. Today, the start-up has around 10 people
working at different levels and they earn Rs. 15,000 per month from a business that’s less
than a year old. In the future, they hope to expand the business. “We’ll do it,” says a
determined Suhail.

2) The course in fashion technology training, on the other hand, consists of tailoring and
design classes wherein the students’ progress is monitored through practical work. Each
student keeps a record that lists all their design work. This tracks the students’ progress
and makes them realize their potential and progress. This training and counseling have
helped women overcome their apprehensions to pursue bold careers. Apart from
professional skills, they usually result in personality development. They nudge the
students to become independent, both economically and socially.

The core belief of NSPB revolves around the fact that millions of ‘blind people’ in the
country could retrieve their eyesight with minor interventions. The Golden Jubilee
Foundation has been an associate in the efforts of NSPB. Through funding the second
floor of the NSPB Karkardooma Eye Hospital building, the Foundation has assisted in
providing high-class facilities at a subsidized rate. The Karkadooma Eye Hospital acts as
a community ophthalmology center, relying on experienced ophthalmologists and
community workers, where the second-floor functions as an operating theater area for
minor and major procedures along with in-patient facilities for the poor.

3) ENABLING THE DIFFERENTLY-ABLED

In New Delhi, Microsoft works with Youth4jobs, an organization that focuses on

providing skill development and job opportunities to people with disabilities. The
 two partners train visually impaired students to make them industry-ready. The main
belief of this training program is that no one is born industry-ready, everyone has to be
trained. The idea is to debunk the myth that people with disabilities usually
underperform.

Research indicates that even if there is any variation in the performance level between the
two groups, the conventionally abled and people with disabilities, the latter may have an
advantage. The school for the visually impaired in New Delhi has a third partner other
than those mentioned above the Blind Relief Association (BRA), which has provided
some space to set up the training center and allowed access to its library. Microsoft does
the curriculum design, provides original software, and acts as a partial funder. The
training center provides multiple skill development programs, including advanced
computer education that involves basic coding using HTML and PYTHON, over six
months.

4) To begin with, an evaluation test is conducted to analyze the potential students’ level of
proficiency in computer education and command of the language. In addition, mentoring
programs prepare the students to face everyday workspace issues. The students are
encouraged to travel alone from their houses to the training school. In addition to all the
activities, parents and students who are reluctant to pursue the courses are given
counseling sessions to explain the necessity of being independent and confident.

Barkha Badhurkumi, a resident of Sikkim, never thought of using a computer until he

heard about a person in Calcutta who was also visually impaired but could use a
computer with the help of special software. An intrigued Birkha heard about the Blind
School in Delhi and migrated from his home state. He now pursues a multi- skill
certification course here. “There is no such school for the blind in Sikkim. Moreover,
traveling all the way here will not be possible for my fellow brothers in my state. So, I
hope to start my training center in Sikkim,” says Barkha.
Chapter 7 -
Criticisms and
challenges
Microsoft maintains a sustainable business by implementing CSR as a global supply chain. If
a company performs its social responsibility well, it can effectively reduce the risk of being
involved in a scandal. Otherwise, it will only increase the risk to the company. That is to say,
only after the real implementation of CSR, does the company get to reduce the risk in today's
severe market competition. If it is just a front for public relations, it will only increase the
risk, because its fraud will be exposed at any time. Only if their actions stand up to scrutiny
will they gain a lot of credibilities. Therefore, CSR will urge enterprises to improve internal
control, so that it can be fulfilled, to bring expected benefits to the company. Microsoft is
known as an international company, there will be many unknown challenges that have to
face:

1. If the CSR is insincere or superficial, the company will be damaged through it. As an
international company, Microsoft has a good reputation for many years. But if the
company lacks a sincere CSR and collaboration, then the employees will soon
understand that the high level of customer care is not true. It will simply find a
corresponding way to deal with this regulation, only on the surface to make customers
get good services.

2. Financial profits can be spent on the cover of CSR, but not much benefit. If in the
realistic market competition environment, the CSR investment cannot obtain the
corresponding return, resulting in the reduction of the company’s profit level and
market share loss, and then loss of the existing competitive advantage, in the long
run, this is undoubtedly a disaster for the company.

3. Managers can use the profits of shareholders to satisfy their interests, which is the
agency cost. Employees are the creators of corporate profits. Enterprises have the
obligation and responsibility to create a safe and comfortable working environment
for employees and provide a sound social security system, However, the unfair
phenomenon of weak labor and strong capital in some localities has not been
fundamentally solved. Labor disputes still occur from time to time.

4. CSR creates an internal bureaucracy that may slow down the pace of business. There
is research illustrates that managers who concentrate on
 balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders have achieved better financial
performance for the company than managers who place more emphasis on profit and
cost control. Moreover, these managers are often seen as geniuses or visionaries,
while those who place too much emphasis on profit are considered dictators.

5. CSR practices are designed to deceive consumers and quell criticism that can lead to
marketing fraud. The duality of corporate social responsibility will harm corporate
governance. Providing healthy and safe products and services for society is the most
basic social moral responsibility of enterprises. In the process of using products or
receiving services, consumers not only simply satisfy their consumption desire, but
also can not suffer any harm to their body or life after consuming products. Some
enterprises take the pursuit of profit maximization as the only standard of production
and management. For the sake of their brand image and vested interest, they ignore
the life and health of consumers and, under the condition of being informed, cause
lifelong pain to consumers and bring disaster to themselves.

6. CSR projects can make society and the government lose sensitivity to CSR, thus
leading to diminishing marginal returns of CSR. If there is no strong commitment to
CSR, no strong support from governance values, and no coherent processes and
activities to advance, just as a marketing trick or means to implement, then companies
cannot get economic returns from it. It may even be seen as hypocritical by the
outside world. In many cases, the relationship between social responsibility and
corporate profits is unclear. Ultimately, corporate managers will feel nothing to do
that will not help the company maximize profits.

The case of Microsoft illustrates that the premise of CSR management in the supply chain is
rooted in the whole supply chain organization. At present, many multinational companies
have increased the proportion of their production
outsourcing in developing countries. In line with this development, supply chain management
has shifted from the operational level that mainly considers procurement price, quality, and
reliability to the strategic level that focuses on establishing strategic long-term cooperative
relations with suppliers. Transnational corporations are not only responsible for the
environmental and social responsibility of their operations, but also increasingly assume the
responsibility of managing the environmental and social performance of their suppliers. To
manage CSR in the supply chain, the concept of CSR needs to be deeply rooted in the whole
supply chain enterprises. It should not be confined to the headquarters of multinational
enterprises but spread to all operating areas, affiliated foreign branches, and suppliers.