A cohort of Microsoft investors has filed a shareholder resolution calling for the tech giant to assess its human rights due diligence processes on the back of reports its technologies are being used to harm Palestinians.

At least sixty shareholders have co-filed the resolution, representing more than $80m in Microsoft shares, with the resolution slated to go to a vote at the company’s AGM later this year.

The proposal was initiated by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, a global Roman Catholic community of about 900 women, and requests Microsoft evaluate whether its AI and cloud technologies are being misused by its military customers to commit human rights abuses or violations of international humanitarian law.

In May Microsoft published a blog post addressing media reports regarding its Azure and AI technologies being used by the Israeli military to cause harm in the conflict in Gaza, saying “we have found no evidence to date” of this being the case. However, the company added: “Microsoft does not have visibility into how customers use our software on their own servers or other devices.”

Following this, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories issued a report in June calling for global corporations to be held accountable for “profiting from genocide” in Gaza.

A statement from the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary said: “As shareholders, we are deeply disturbed by Microsoft’s apparent ineffective due diligence with regard to human rights violations by its customers against the Palestinian people and others.”

Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility president Josh Zinner added: “The large number of co-filers on this resolution, far more than is typically seen, demonstrates the importance that many shareholders place on companies addressing their human rights risks, to ensure that investors are not benefiting from violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.”

Marcela Pinilla, director of sustainable Investing at Zevin Asset Management, asserted that “legal experts have already cautioned companies that continued military support to Israel could lead to charges of complicity.”