Microsoft Corp.

"Microsoft Corp.'s net zero target is to become carbon negative by 2030 and by 2050, to remove from the atmosphere an equivalent amount of all the carbon dioxide the company has emitted since its founding in 1975. Net Zero Tracker
The company plans to reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions to near zero by the middle of the decade through energy efficiency work and reaching 100 percent renewable energy by 2025. Net Zero Tracker
An interesting fact about Microsoft's environmental policy is that it has been operating carbon neutral since 2012. Net Zero Tracker
In addition, you can check …"

Current Score (vs. LY)

85.6 pts (0.0)

Last Update: Dec. 12, 2023

Current Rankings

Global: #4

S&P100: #2

Information Technology: #2

Transparency

Quality of climate reporting based on public disclosures, completeness and verification of GHG emissions

Commitments

Level of ambition through gross absolute emissions reduction and 'net zero' targets

Results

Results and actions to deliver on commitments for real

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Last 3 Years Emissions Data Summary

Y2021Y2020Y2019
Scope 1 123,704118,100117,956
Scope 2 - location-based 4,745,1974,102,4453,357,518
Scope 2 - market-based 163,935228,194275,420
Scope 1-2 - location-based 4,868,9014,220,5453,475,474
Scope 1-2 - market-based 287,639 346,294 393,376
Scope 3 13,784,50111,698,95611,357,357
Total - location-based 18,653,40215,919,50114,832,831
Total - market-based 13,762,140 11,585,250 11,750,733

Note: Data sources detailed here

Y2022 Y2021
Total CO2e estimate (by Net0Tracker) 16,233,08613,762,140
Methodology Previous year intensity (revenue)As reported

Carbon emissions are estimated according to comparable years, intensity and sector benchmarks

Performance vs. Target

Note: Targets without baseline are ignored. In case several targets exist, only the shorter-term target is displayed.


Value Chain (scope 3) Emissions by Category

Emissions Trajectory (Full Scopes)



Please refer to the library for viewing the supporting documentation

Despite our best efforts to report accurate data based on publicly-available information, some data may be wrong, inaccurate or outdated. If it is the case, please reach out and report the issues. Email

Sector Benchmark

Note: Latest GHG and revenue data (based on tradingview.com) are used to calculate GHG emissions intensity by sector. The color scale of each bubble depends on the GHG intensity (GHG emissions per 1 million USD revenue). Sectors follow the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) that organize companies based on their primary business activities. The 11 sectors are : Information Technology, Health Care, Financials, Consumer Discretionary, Communication Services, Industrials, Consumer Staples, Energy, Utilities, Real Estate, and Materials.

Microsoft Corp. belongs to the sector Information Technology.

Despite our best efforts to report accurate data based on publicly-available information, some data may be wrong, inaccurate or outdated. If it is the case, please reach out and report the issues. Email

Reduction and Net Zero Targets

>Note: intensity targets are not represented in the current version - see Methodology

Gross Absolute Emission Reductions

Scope Reduction Objectives Base Year Target Year Comments
S1S2S3MKT 50.0 2019 2030
S3 50.0 2020 2030
S1S2MKT 75.0 2013 2030
S1S2MKT 75.0 2013 2045


Net Absolute Emission Reductions

Scope Reduction Objectives Base Year Target Year Comments
S1S2S3MKT 100.0 2019 2030


Net Zero Future Commitments

Scope Scope 3 Coverage Target Year Comments
S1S2S3LOC FULL 2030


Net Zero Policy

The company has a net zero policy : every year, carbon emissions will be balanced with carbon offsets, on OTHER scope emissions.



Science-based Targets (SBTI)

Date Published / Updated :01/09/2019

Near-term Long-Term Net Zero Standard
Targets Set : 1.5°C by 2030 No target Yes
Microsoft Corp. is a member of the Business Ambition for 1.5 campaign (link here )

American multinational technology company Microsoft commits to continue annually source 100% renewable electricity through 2030. Microsoft also commits to reduce scope 3 GHG emissions intensity per unit of revenue 30% by 2030 from a 2017 base year and to avoid growth in absolute scope 3 emissions.

Data source: SBTI

Despite our best efforts to report accurate data based on publicly-available information, some data may be wrong, inaccurate or outdated. If it is the case, please reach out and report the issues. Email

Offsets

Last update for Microsoft by zerotracker.net: Sept. 4, 2024
Planning to use external offset credits Yes
Separate targets for emission reductions and removals Yes
Conditions on use of offset credits
  • Other conditions
  • Avoid social harm
  • Avoid biodiversity harm
Plans for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) No

Additional notes: In July 2020, we will start phasing in our current internal carbon tax to cover our scope 3 emissions. Currently this fee is $15/metric ton and covers all scope 1 and 2 emissions, plus scope 3 travel emissions. Solving our planet’s carbon issues will require technology that does not exist today. That’s why a significant part of our endeavour involves putting Microsoft’s balance sheet to work to stimulate and accelerate the development of carbon removal technology. Our new Climate Innovation Fund will commit to invest $1 billion over the next four years into new technologies and expand access to capital around the world to people working to solve this problem. We understand that this is just a fraction of the investment needed, but our hope is that it spurs more governments and companies to invest in new ways as well. In July 2020, we will start phasing in our current internal carbon tax to cover our scope 3 emissions. Currently this fee is $15/metric ton and covers all scope 1 and 2 emissions, plus scope 3 travel emissions. Solving our planet’s carbon issues will require technology that does not exist today. That’s why a significant part of our endeavour involves putting Microsoft’s balance sheet to work to stimulate and accelerate the development of carbon removal technology. Our new Climate Innovation Fund will commit to invest $1 billion over the next four years into new technologies and expand access to capital around the world to people working to solve this problem. We understand that this is just a fraction of the investment needed, but our hope is that it spurs more governments and companies to invest in new ways as well. Criteria for high-quality carbon dioxide removal: https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RWGG6f In January 2021, Microsoft announced that we had made the world’s largest purchase of carbon removal in history. Our focus on removals instead of avoided emissions offsets is aligned to our carbon negative commitment but is also motivated by what climate science tells us is needed to reach net zero—specifically the IPCC’s projection that the planet could need as much as 10 gigatons of carbon dioxide removal by mid-century, depending on the scale and pace of decarbonization. https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RE4RwfV By 2025, it will shift to 100% renewable energy supply. It will have power purchase agreements for green energy for 100% of carbon-emitting electricity consumed by all our data centers, buildings, and campuses. It will electrify its global campus operations vehicle fleet by 2030. It will pursue International Living Future Institute Zero Carbon certification and LEED Platinum certification for our Silicon Valley Campus and Puget Sound Campus Modernization projects. It implemented new procurement processes to enable and incentivize our suppliers to reduce their scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. We will work with our suppliers to implement consistent and accurate reporting and pursue practical steps to make progress against scientifically based targets.

Data source from zerotracker.net - For more information, see methodology

Score Summary

Ref Principle Score
(points)
Max
(points)
Delta
(points)
1 At least 2 years of GHG emissions for scope 1 and 2 are publicly-available and externally-verified 10.0 10.0 0.0
2 Scope 3 emissions are fully reported and externally-verified 10.0 10.0 0.0
3 CDP score demonstrates the level of transparent disclosures 10.0 10.0 0.0
Transparency 30.0 30.0 0.0
4 Net Zero Commitments by 2050 include an intermediate target and cover all the emissions 10.0 10.0 0.0
5 Net Zero targets demonstrate a high-level of emergency 8.333333333333334 10.0 0.0
6 Emission reduction targets on a forward-looking basis are ambitious 7.2251367551379015 10.0 0.0
7 Targets are science-based as validated by SBTi 10.0 10.0 0.0
Commitments 35.55847008847124 40.0 0.0
8 Results re. operational emissions reduction: on-pace (performance-to-date) and momentum (forward-looking targets) 10.0 10.0 0.0
9 Results re. value chain emissions reduction: on-pace (performance-to-date) and momentum (forward-looking targets) 0.0 10.0 0.0
10 Implied Temperature Rating by MSCi 10.0 10.0 0.0
Results 20.0 30.0 0.0
Total 85.6 100.0 0.0


Despite our best efforts to report accurate data based on publicly-available information, some data may be wrong, inaccurate or outdated. If it is the case, please reach out and report the issues. Email


Score Details

Criteria Results 2023 Score 2022 Score Vs. 2022 2021 Score
Criteria 1 : Transparency on operational emissions (Scope 1 + 2)
Are S1+S2 figures publicly-disclosed for the last reporting year and the preceding period? yes 5.0 / 5.0 5.0 0.0 5.0
Are S1+S2 figures verified by a 3rd-party for the last reporting year? yes 5.0/ 5.0 5.0 0.0 5.0
Criteria 2 : Transparency on value chain emissions (Scope 3)
Are the 15 categories fully or partly disclosed? full 5.0 / 5.0 5.0 0.0 5.0
Are S3 figures fully or partly verified by a 3rd-party for the last reporting year? full 5.0 / 5.0 5.0 0.0 5.0
Criteria 3 : Quality and Frequency of reporting
What is the latest CDP score (no later than the preceding year)? A 10.0 / 10.0 10.0 0.0 10.0
How many interim reporting were provided between 2 reporting periods (GHG emissions only)?
Criteria 4 : Net Zero Commitments
Does the net 0 target include a statement of a generally-accepted net zero emission target by 2050? yes 3.0 / 3.0 3.0 0.0 3.0
Does the net zero target include an intermediate target by 2030? 2030 3.0 / 3.0 3.0 0.0 3.0
Does the net zero target include all the emissions? yes 4.0 / 4.0 4.0 0.0 4.0
Criteria 5 : Target year for Net Zero Commitments
Target year for achieving net zero emissions for S1+S2? Net Zero Policy 5.0 / 5.0 5.0 0.0 5.0
Target year for achieving net zero emissions for S1+S2+S3 combined? 2030 3.3 / 5.0 3.3 0.0 3.3
Criteria 6 : Reduction objectives
What is the forward-looking GHG% reduction (without compensation) for scope 1+2? 2.2
2.2 / 5.0 2.2 0.0 3.4
What is the forward-looking GHG% reduction (without compensation) for scope 1+2+3? 6.4
5.0 / 5.0 5.0 0.0 4.8
Criteria 7 : Science-Based Targets
What type of science-based target (as validated by SBTi) did the company commit to? Targets Set 1.5°C 10.0 / 10.0 10.0 0.0 10.0
Criteria 8 : Results based on scope 1 - 2
Performance to date: cumulative% reduction vs. target Objective (in %): 35.3
Actual (in %): 68.7
5.0 / 5.0 5.0 0.0 5.0
Momentum: last year % reduction vs. forward-looking target Objective (in %): 2.2
Actual (in %): 16.9
5.0 / 5.0 5.0 0.0 5.0
Criteria 9 : Results based on scope 1 - 2 - 3
Performance to date: cumulative% reduction vs. target Objective (in %): 9.1
Actual (in %): -17.1
0.0 / 5.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Momentum: last year % reduction vs. forward-looking target Objective (in %): 6.4
Actual (in %): -18.8
0.0 / 5.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Criteria 10 : Implied Temperature Rise (ITR)
Is the company aligned with global climate targets? ITR: 1.3°C 10.0 / 10.0 10.0 0.0 7.5
Total 85.6 / 100.0 85.6 0.0 84.0


Available Data Sources

Reporting Year 2022 2021 2021 2021 2020 2020 2020 2020 2020 2019 2019 2019
Source Wikirate (NV) NZPDU Yourstake Public Public Wikirate CDP NZPDU Public Public CDP NZPDU
Publication Year unknown 2022 unknown 2022 2022 unknown 2021 2021 2021 2021 2020 2020
Scope 1 139,413 123,704 123,704 123,704 118,100 118,100 118,100 118,100 118,100 117,956 113,412 113,412
Scope 2 - location-based 6,381,250 4,745,197 4,745,197 4,745,197 4,102,445 4,330,639 4,102,445 4,102,445 4,102,445 3,357,518 3,556,553 3,556,553
Scope 2 - market-based NA 163,935 163,935 163,935 228,194 NA 228,194 228,194 228,194 275,420 275,375 275,375
Scope 1-2 - location-based 6,520,663 4,868,901 4,868,901 4,868,901 4,220,545 4,448,739 4,220,545 4,220,545 4,220,545 3,475,474 3,669,965 3,669,965
Scope 1-2 - market-based NA 287,639 287,639 287,639 346,294 NA 346,294 346,294 346,294 393,376 388,787 388,787
Scope 3 12,571,000 13,784,501 13,784,501 14,284,501 11,698,956 11,587,756 10,817,756 10,817,756 10,817,756 11,357,357 11,322,527 11,322,527
Total - location-based 19,091,663 18,653,402 18,653,402 19,153,402 15,919,501 16,036,495 15,038,301 15,038,301 15,038,301 14,832,831 14,992,492 14,992,492
Total - market-based NA 13,762,140 14,072,140 14,072,140 11,585,250 NA 10,984,050 10,984,050 11,164,050 11,750,733 11,541,314 11,541,314

Sources

Please refer to the library for viewing the supporting documentation

Despite our best efforts to report accurate data based on publicly-available information, some data may be wrong, inaccurate or outdated. If it is the case, please reach out and report the issues. Email