Our Microsoft sustainability journey
Our commitments
Carbon
Carbon Removal
We’re on a mission to build the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) capacity that the world will need to help prevent the worst effects of climate change.
Carbon Reduction
Reducing the carbon intensity of our operations is a core pillar of our approach to being a carbon negative company. We procure low-carbon and virtual products seeking to support market development of yet to abate sectors and bringing low-carbon products and services to scale.
Renewable energy
The ability of the technology sector to meet net zero targets is dependent on our collective ability to procure carbon-free electricity and decarbonize our supply chains. Microsoft continues to build and scale carbon-free electricity through our procurement of renewable energy and investing to bring more carbon-free electricity onto the grids where we operate.
Campus innovation
We’re innovating with thermal energy as part of our Redmond Campus Modernization project with the Thermal Energy Center.
Water
Water replenishment
A key component of Microsoft’s water positive work is to replenish more water than we consume. As our replenishment program evolves, we’re sharing our learnings to support others in their journey.
Getting to water positive
Getting to water positive goes beyond reducing water-use intensity and replenishing water sources; it’s also about providing people across the globe with access to water and sanitation services, engaging in public policy, and driving innovation.
Introducing new water data capabilities
The Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability water data model (preview) helps customers standardize water data for water sustainability use cases, providing a single source of truth through multi-source data acquisition.
Water Works
Our Silicon Valley campus is pursuing Net-Zero water certification and is on track to be one of first tech campuses to secure this certification.
Waste
Circular Centers
At Microsoft, we’re building Circular Centers at our campuses to help improve our own materials management at all stages of our devices’ and products’ lifecycles.
Designing for repairability
Microsoft invests in this space and the findings will aid in our product design and plans for expanding device repair options for our customers that are safe, effective, and sustainable. Our latest Surface products feature a host of replaceable components.
Reducing packaging waste
Microsoft participated in the development of a cross-industry white paper on stretch wrap alternatives.
Ecosystems
Protecting natural habitats
Through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Western Big Game Migration Program, we invested in projects in the American West that are vital for preserving the migration corridors of endangered and at-risk species, including mountain lions, grizzly bears, and Canada lynx.
Improving biodiversity
As part of our Redmond campus modernization project, we’re including protections for local ecosystems such as green roofs, open space restoration, and heat island reduction. This is also the first Microsoft location in our portfolio to be certified Salmon Safe.
Monitoring ecosystems
We deployed our first on-campus Microsoft Premonition device to pilot ecological monitoring. Premonition is a biological weather station that lures, monitors, and samples invertebrate species to easily track ecosystem services, biodiversity, and disease transmission. This will allow us to measure the impact of ecological enhancement efforts over time.
“If the world is going to meet net zero goals by 2050, companies need to use their entire ecosystem and all of their positions of influence.”
Science and research
AI4Science
We use approaches from our global AI4Science team, launched in June 2022, to advance the state of the art in scientific discovery by using simulations of natural phenomena to produce training data for large-scale AI models.
Research for Industry
Our Research for Industry (RFI) program uses our advanced data platforms and technologies for cloud and edge processing, Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, robotics, and AI to contribute to new solutions in multiple industries, including agri-food, energy, retail, and financial services.
Climate Research Initiative
We’re advancing initiatives in sustainability by partnering with external experts in the field. This group of multi-disciplinary experts is crucial to catalyzing the work we’re doing to address today’s greatest societal challenges.
Latest resources
Charting a path forward for water replenishment
Evolving carbon accounting
The world needs robust carbon data and accounting—the body of rules that govern tracking and reporting of carbon emissions. At Microsoft, we’re working to evolve our internal emissions accounting approach, focusing on achieving greater accuracy, consistency, completeness, transparency, and alignment with real-world emissions impact.
Lessons learned from carbon removal
The world needs to develop a pioneering carbon dioxide removal (CDR) market to be ready for deep decarbonization this century. Read Microsoft’s observations on what is ready and what is missing based on three years of diving deep on CDR.
Closing the Sustainability Skills Gap
Over 3,500 companies globally have issued climate pledges – however, many lack a workforce with the necessary skills to turn these pledges to progress. Our report shows the urgent need to develop a new level of sustainability skills and fluency – and how we aim to help support the transformation.
