Microsoft is working to bring economic, social and environmental benefits to its datacenter communities. Through its partnership with American Forests, Microsoft targets two areas: environmental sustainability and workforce development. The partnership uses American Forests’ Tree Equity Score as a guide to plant trees where they are needed most and to increase employment opportunities in urban forestry for people from underserved communities.

In January of 2021, Microsoft datacenter employees joined community members and local partner Arizona Sustainability Alliance in El Mirage, Ariz. to plant over 50 native, drought resistant trees at a local school to provide shade for students when they go outside. This planting was also the pilot project for a detailed Impact Certification developed by City Forest Credits, which reports out on human health, social equity, environmental impacts and overlapping Sustainable Development Goals of the project, along with examples that can be used for voluntary reporting.