Redmond, WA — Microsoft is giving its employees a new way to raise concerns about the ethical use of its technology, following recent controversies related to its operations in the Middle East.

In a memo disclosed in a securities filing on Wednesday, Brad Smith, Microsoft president, announced the creation of an internal portal that allows employees to request a “Trusted Technology Review.” The tool is designed to let employees express misgivings about how Microsoft develops and deploys technology, with anonymous submissions and full non-retaliation protections.

“Our standard non-retaliation policy applies, and you can raise concerns anonymously,” Smith wrote.

Background of Controversy

The new initiative follows criticism of Microsoft’s work with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). In August, The Guardian reported that IDF Unit 8200 used Microsoft’s Azure cloud to build a system for tracking Palestinians’ phone calls during the Gaza conflict. Microsoft subsequently halted some services to the unit while investigating the allegations, amid internal protests that led to resignations and firings.

Microsoft’s business has otherwise been thriving, with record stock prices fueled by growing adoption of Azure to run AI models developed by OpenAI and other companies. However, employee unrest has grown due to layoffs, return-to-office policies, and scrutiny over government contracts, including reports of U.S. Defense Department reliance on Microsoft engineers in China.

Strengthening Governance

Smith emphasized that Microsoft aims to boost governance and human rights oversight:

“We are working to strengthen our existing pre-contract review process for evaluating engagements that require additional human rights due diligence,” he said.

The portal is part of broader efforts to ensure employees can voice ethical concerns, especially as Microsoft navigates complex global technology deployments in sensitive regions.