More transparency and reporting needed, says Arunja Capital
Accusations of harassment and concerns over pay gaps continue to dog Microsoft as shareholders were urged by investor Arunja Capital to vote for the software giant to release transparency reports.
The form PX14A6G filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission is sent to shareholders outlining why the sender wants them to vote a certain way. In this case, for a proposal to release a transparency report regarding the effectiveness of Microsoft’s workplace sexual harassment policies, and another to have the company report on median pay gaps across race and gender.
Investment management firm Arunja Capital put forward the resolution earlier this year, stating: “Microsoft needs independent and transparent investigation of gender discrimination, [and alleged] sexual harassment by former CEO Gates and others.”
Gates stepped down from the Microsoft board in 2020. This year reports surfaced of an allegedly “inappropriate” romantic relationship he had with a female Microsoft employee.
Arunja Capital is somewhat of an activist investor, and describes
itself as a “champion of workplace concerns for minorities and women.”
Microsoft’s commitment to begin annual reporting on sexual harassment
and gender discrimination does not cut the mustard as far as the
investor is concerned and, according to Arunja Capital, “ignores the
need for reporting on independent and executive-level investigations." …