Microsoft has survived brutal battles against Apple and Google, but the company now faces a more formidable foe: the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.
The congregation is leading a group of Microsoft investors who want to hold the firm accountable for its tech. The campaigners are urging Microsoft shareholders to vote for two proposals at a November 30 meeting:
- Ask Microsoft to ensure its lobbyists live up to its values and policies on racial justice, human rights, and privacy.
- Call for Microsoft to stop all sales of facial recognition to government entities.
The sisters may not look like your stereotypical digital activists, but they’re more tech-savvy than you might expect.
Who are the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace?
The Roman Catholic order was founded in 1884 in Nottingham, England by Margaret Anna Cusack, and has a history of promoting social justice as a way to peace. The congregation currently serves in the US, UK, and Haiti.
The sisters are also seasoned shareholder advocates. This year, they’ve zeroed in on Microsoft’s lobbying efforts.
Tech isn’t neutral. We filed a shareholder resolution asking #Microsoft to report on #lobbying alignment. Despite its #racialjustice policies, Microsoft lobbies for bills enabling police surveillance. Watch this 2 min video with Sister @susanfrancoishttps://t.co/DJM46AmIvV
— CSJP Sisters (@SistersofPeace) November 22, 2021
Sister Susan Francois has been the order’s most prominent campaigner.
The assistant congregation leader was once an election official in Portland, Oregon. In her blog, Sister Susan says the 9/11 terrorist attacks laid the seeds for her “transition from bureaucrat to Gen-X nun.”
“As shareholders, as tech workers, as campaigners for justice, we can and must hold these companies accountable,” she said in a campaign video. “New innovation should support human dignity and a fair and just society, not magnify division and discrimination.”