Microsoft taking bribery allegations 'seriously'
- 19 March, 2013 19:18
- Comments
Microsoft is taking seriously allegations that business partners engaged in bribery to gain government contracts in three countries outside the US, the company said.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating Microsoft for possible kickbacks made by a Microsoft representative in China, as well as looking into the company's relationship with some resellers and consultants in Italy and Romania.
Microsoft takes "all allegations brought to our attention seriously" and will cooperate fully with any government investigations, John Frank, the company's vice-president and deputy general counsel, said in a blog post.
"Like other large companies with operations around the world we sometimes receive allegations about potential misconduct by employees or business partners and we investigate them fully regardless of the source," Frank said. "We also invest heavily in proactive training, monitoring and audits to ensure our business operations around the world meet the highest legal and ethical standards."
A DOJ spokesman said the agency has no comment on the existence of any investigations.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft conducted a 2010 investigation of the allegations in China and found no wrongdoing. A whistleblower alleged that an executive of Microsoft's China subsidiary authorised kickbacks to Chinese officials in exchange for software contracts, the Journal reported.
Frank, in his blog post, declined to comment on the specific allegations detailed in the Journal article. But many such investigations find that the allegations are without merit, he added.
"As our company has grown and expanded around the world, one of the things that has been constant has been our commitment to the highest legal and ethical standards wherever we do business," Frank wrote.
Microsoft has more than 50 people who investigate potential breaches of company policy, and an additional 120 people whose primary role is compliance, he said.
Grant Gross covers technology and telecom policy in the US government for The IDG News Service. Follow Grant on Twitter at GrantGross. Grant's e-mail address is grant_gross@idg.com.
Recommended
Join the Computerworld Australia group on Linkedin. The group is open to IT Directors, IT Managers, Infrastructure Managers, Network Managers, Security Managers, Communications Managers.
- Bookmark this page
- Share this article
- Got more on this story? Email Computerworld
- Follow Computerworld on twitter
- 2013 Global Information Security Survey: Initial findings
- Pathways Advanced ICT Leadership Development Program Course Outline and Big 6 2013
- Maximising productivity without sacrificing security
- Leading Through Connections – Insights from the Global Chief Executive Officer Study
- Unleashing the Power of Information
-
Good riddance Google Reader: Feedly throws switch on alternate RSS service
-
Mobile app data protection not our responsibility, say Australians
-
NBN Co should prepare for Coalition government: NBN committee
-
Google adds more retailers for Chromebook
-
Mobile app data protection not our responsibility, say Australians
