The Norwegian wealth fund, which manages $2 trillion in assets, said it would support a proposal at Microsoft’s annual shareholder meeting that would require the company to publish a report on the risks of operating in countries where there are human rights concerns.
The Microsoft shareholder meeting will take place next Friday, December 5th.
The corporation’s leadership recommended voting against an initiative to require Microsoft to report on the effectiveness of its human rights oversight procedures, “especially in light of evidence that Microsoft technology and its cloud infrastructure were almost certainly used by the Israeli army in strikes in Gaza and the West Bank.”
The fund, which controls 1.35% of Microsoft shares (the eighth-largest shareholder), also intends to vote against the reappointment of CEO Satya Nadella as chairman of the board of directors.
“Microsoft’s board of directors must consider the significant risks facing the company and the broader environmental and social impacts of its operations and products,” the foundation said in a statement on its website.