Microsoft promises reforms after third-party report on executive misconduct
An outside review of how Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) handles sexual harassment and gender discrimination cases recommended the company reform its policies and "take steps to minimize perception that senior leaders are not held accountable."
The 50-page report from independent law firm ArentFox Schiff was in response to a 2021 shareholder proposal urging the company to be more transparent about sexual harassment cases and to provide details on investigations of executives, including co-founder Bill Gates.
Microsoft said in January that it tapped ArentFox to conduct an audit of three years' worth of internal data on sexual harassment and gender discrimination complaints, beginning in 2019.
ArentFox recommended Microsoft take several actions in response to the report's findings, such as adopting the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's definition of sexual harassment, improving transparency before and during complaint investigations, and requiring that higher-level managers and executives disclose consensual relationships they are having with other Microsoft employees.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2022/11/15/microsoft-sexual-harassment-policies-report.html