Microsoft’s board has ordered a review of the company’s handling of sexual harassment and discrimination investigations, including one involving Bill Gates.
Like many large companies, Microsoft has faced increased pressure in recent years to do more to combat sexual harassment and gender discrimination. These calls reached a crescendo after new details emerged about Bill Gates’ behavior with female subordinates.
Microsoft’s board has ordered a third-party review of its policies, including how it handled the investigation into Gates’ conduct.
Microsoft hopes the review will address a number of areas, including providing transparency about “the effectiveness of the company’s workplace sexual harassment and gender discrimination policies, training, and related policies.”
The report will also shed light on the number of harassment cases that have been investigated, as well as how they were resolved. It will also summarize the results of any investigations into senior leadership, or the board of directors, and what action was taken, including the investigation into Gates. The report will also look at what action was taken to hold employees accountable for bad behavior.
“Our culture remains our number one priority and the entire Board appreciates the critical importance of a safe and inclusive environment for all Microsoft employees,” said Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s Chairman and CEO. “We’re committed not just to reviewing the report but learning from the assessment so we can continue to improve the experiences of our employees. I embrace this comprehensive review as an opportunity to continue to get better”.