Software King of the World, Microsoft has increased penalties for partners and suppliers who violate contracts and the Partner Code of Conduct.
The purge means that the vendor could revoke the solution provider’s ability to sell in certain partner programmes and even purge the provider from the partner ecosystem.
Vole said: “We’re committed to winning in the market ethically and in compliance with the laws and regulations of the countries/regions in which we operate.”
“Our values are enshrined in our Standards of Business Conduct: respect, integrity, and accountability. As such, we expect our partners to embrace and continually improve on these values.”
Microsoft could require offending solution providers to go through training, take away incentives and pay back incentives earned through the violation.
Solution providers with repeated violations may have to participate in the Partner Accountability and Remediation programme.
The crack down has been greeted as being tough but “very fair” by Volish partners.
It is mostly seen as Microsoft wanting to get more involved in compliance issues.
Some of the ways partners can violate the Partner Code of Conduct include:
- Breaking anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws through bribery, kickbacks and other practices
- Improperly influencing government officials, employees or political candidates through gifts, meals, travel, entertainment
- Breaking fair competition and antitrust laws
- Breaking rules around government procurement, tenders and bids, including conspiring with other partners to rig bids, place orders before tender finalisation and fix prices
- Placing orders for Microsoft technologies, products, support or services without a corresponding customer order or agreement
- Cold-calling the elderly, children and other vulnerable consumers to buy or subscribe to unneeded technical support or services
- Breaking conflict of interest rules in government contracting
Not disclosing fees, commissions and compensation the partner gets from Microsoft if required for working with a government entity.
