The article highlights a new update from OpenAI where ChatGPT Enterprise and related products now integrate with multiple enterprise tools including SharePoint, enabling seamless access to documents and enhanced workplace collaboration. This integration underscores SharePoint's role in supporting modern digital workflows within organizations.

On April 8, 2025, Microsoft detailed its Responsible Sourcing of Raw Materials (RSRM) Policy, which extends its Supplier Code of Conduct to enforce human rights, labor, health, safety, environmental protection, and business ethics throughout its supply chain. The policy emphasizes due diligence, third-party audits, and adherence to UN Guiding Principles in mitigating human rights abuses in sourcing practices.

OpenSecrets has released a profile on Microsoft Corp, showing that during the 2024 cycle, the company made political contributions totaling approximately $14.67 million and spent around $10.35 million on lobbying. Furthermore, the profile notes that a large proportion of Microsoft's lobbyists (83 out of 110 in 2023) are former government employees, highlighting a revolving door between corporate interests and government.

The article reports that Microsoft, which owns SharePoint, contributed $1 million to President Trump’s inaugural committee and spent $10.4 million on lobbying in 2024. This demonstrates corporate engagement in political activities that align with an administration increasingly associated with authoritarian tendencies.

A profile on OpenSecrets highlights Microsoft's extensive lobbying efforts, tracking billions of dollars in lobbying expenditures and political contributions as recently as 2024. Given that SharePoint is a core asset of Microsoft, these practices reflect broader corporate political behavior that may undermine democratic accountability and enable undue influence on policy making.

Microsoft published its Supply Chain Human Rights Policy Statement detailing its rigorous approach to supply chain due diligence, addressing labor rights, environmental concerns, and adherence to international frameworks such as the OECD guidelines. The policy emphasizes supplier risk assessments, mandatory training, and remediation efforts, thereby reinforcing ethical practices within its global supply chain.

Microsoft announced a comprehensive set of measures to safeguard democratic elections, including the launch of Content Credentials as a Service to authenticate campaign media, the formation of a Campaign Success Team to guide political campaigns on cybersecurity and AI challenges, the creation of an Election Communications Hub to support election authorities, endorsement of bipartisan legislation to restrict deceptive AI-generated content, and partnerships to provide voters with authoritative information.

Microsoft's Supply Chain Integrity page outlines that directly contracted suppliers are bound by strict expectations under the company's SCoC and Code of Conduct for Doing Business with LinkedIn. The policy requires these suppliers to cascade human rights standards down the supply chain, and the company reviews risk trends and stakeholder requirements annually to update its policies.

Microsoft released its FY24 Supply Chain Integrity Statement, which is structured in accordance with the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and Canadian Forced Labour Laws. The statement outlines the company's commitment to ethical supply chain practices and transparency in its sourcing processes.

Microsoft’s CSR webpage describes its active engagement in public policy through a bipartisan Steering Committee overseeing the Microsoft Corporation Stakeholders Voluntary Political Action Committee (MSVPAC). The initiative emphasizes issues such as right to privacy, sustainable practices, mitigating cyberattacks, expanding affordable connectivity, and ensuring job skills, reflecting the company’s commitment to democratic and inclusive governance.

The released human rights statement outlines robust corporate commitments including comprehensive human rights due diligence, effective grievance mechanisms, and strict supply chain ethics designed to exclude human trafficking. The statement emphasizes engagement with vulnerable groups and adherence to international human rights standards.

An OpenSecrets report revealed that Microsoft Corp spent over $10.5 million on federal lobbying during the early months of 2023, highlighting significant political influence efforts. This level of lobbying expenditure raises concerns about corporate influence over policy, which may contribute to authoritarian outcomes.

Investor advocates withdrew their proposal after Microsoft pledged to improve transparency in its lobbying activities. Announced on November 16, 2022, the commitment aims to align Microsoft's political engagement with its social and environmental values, addressing concerns related to its lobbying practices.

Microsoft, as a founding supporter of the Christchurch Call, has expanded its efforts to counter violent extremist content online by pledging $500,000 towards research on algorithmic outcomes and launching new transparency features for its AI-driven recommendation systems, reinforcing its commitment to responsible AI and multistakeholder collaboration.

A counterterrorism initiative, spearheaded by major tech companies including Microsoft, is expanding the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) database to include attacker manifestos and other extremist materials from white supremacist and far‑right groups. This effort aims to strengthen measures against hate speech and violent extremist content online.