Appendix A How we report Reporting standards Our Reports Hub available at microsoft.com/ transparen cy provides a consolidated, comprehensive view of our ESG reporting and data ranging from our carbon footprint to workforce demographics to political donations. This Environmental Sustainability Report is an important part of that overall set of disclosures. For this and other reports, we inform our disclosure strategies with careful consideration of commonly used global standards such as sector-based materiality maps provided by the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights Reporting Framework, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We presented greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the GHG Protocol and select environmental metrics that reference the Global Reporting Initiative Standards (GRI). We have been reporting to CDP since 2010, consistently making it to CDP Climate Change A-list and earning the highest band of A and A- for CDP Water Security since 2016. On climate-related issues, we are committed to fully aligning with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Our commitment to sustainable development Read our TCFD report Our policies and practices We work to apply the power of technology to earn and sustain the trust of the customers and partners we empower and the communities in which we live and work. This focus extends to our work to build a sustainable future where everyone has access to the benefits and opportunities that technology can bring. It’s central to our mission to empower every person and organization to achieve more, and it ́s why many of our employees come to work every day. Working together with stakeholders We know that the decisions we make affect our employees, customers, partners, shareholders, suppliers, and communities, and we take their voices into account. Microsoft receives input from millions of people each year—from individual customers to policymakers and global human rights specialists. We bring outside perspectives into the company and inform our business decisions through a variety of feedback channels. We go beyond formal channels, proactively engaging with key stakeholders, advocacy groups, industry experts, corporate social responsibility (CSR) rating agencies, CSR-focused investors, and many others. We also share our learnings and practices thereby generating industry dialogue, informing public debate, and advancing greater progress. ESG materiality Our ESG reporting describes those topics which we consider to be the most important to stakeholders when evaluating environmental, social, and governance issues at Microsoft. Therefore, ESG materiality in our reporting does not directly correspond to the concept of materiality used in securities law. A listing of what we currently identify and categorize as our top ESG issues can be found on our website . In 2020, Microsoft conducted a materiality assessment focused on environmental sustainability, which can be accessed in last year's report . Governance Microsoft has made sustainability part of its business, including embedding it deeply into its governance structure. Our Board of Directors provides insight, feedback, and oversight across a broad range of environmental and social matters. In particular, the responsibilities of the Board’s Regulatory and Public Policy Committee include providing oversight and guidance to the Board and management about the company’s policies and programs that relate to corporate social responsibility, including the company’s environmental sustainability strategy and commitments. Microsoft’s management team understands that sustainability performance is linked in myriad ways to the company’s long-term financial performance and growth that is sustainable in every sense of the word. We are committed to building and executing on strategies to help foster a healthy planet and advance a more inclusive economy that fosters additional growth opportunities for everyone. Additional information about our governance structure for sustainability can be found in our TCFD report as well as our CDP responses . Forward-looking statements This report includes estimates, projections, and other “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward- looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. We describe risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise. 91