Microsoft commissioned Foley Hoag to conduct a human rights influence evaluation (HRIA) on the influence of Microsoft’s cloud and synthetic intelligence applied sciences.  Particularly, we sought to know the impacts that such applied sciences have on communities of shade in america when these applied sciences are licensed to legislation enforcement businesses.  Microsoft commissioned the HRIA in response to a shareholder letter expressing concern concerning the human rights influence of sure Microsoft merchandise in varied contexts.

Foley Hoag’s HRIA is the primary of its form.  Since 2011, companies have been guided of their efforts to display respect for human rights by the United Nations’ Guiding Ideas on Enterprise and Human Rights (UNGPs).  Microsoft, like different corporations, follows the UNGPs when conducting due diligence on the human rights impacts of its services and products.  HRIAs are intensive types of due diligence that search to determine the impacts of a particular product, service, or exercise – notably these which might be new and broadly impactful.

Utilizing the UNGPs for steering, Foley Hoag spent a yr interviewing stakeholders inside the firm, authorities, and civil society organizations; researching Microsoft’s services and products; and scouring the general public area, to advise Microsoft concerning probably the most salient constructive and damaging human rights impacts of sure merchandise licensed to legislation enforcement businesses.  Foley Hoag additionally supplied Microsoft with suggestions to mitigate probably opposed impacts.

In Foley Hoag’s view, the HRIA presents not solely Microsoft, however the know-how business writ giant with a helpful blueprint by which to think about the myriad ways in which know-how can influence stakeholders’ lives.  Know-how advantages society in some ways – together with with respect to enhancements in drugs, schooling, and public security.  Know-how corporations must also, nevertheless, contemplate how one can mitigate ways in which their merchandise might result in harms, together with by having an open dialogue with members of civil society and creating strong inside governance constructions to design applied sciences that may increase respect for human rights.

We commend Microsoft for endeavor this effort and for its transparency in publishing the HRIA on its web site.  A hyperlink to that Evaluation is right here:  Human Rights Affect Evaluation of Microsoft’s Applied sciences Licensed to U.S. Legislation Enforcement Companies