Microsoft has dropped one of its suppliers in the UK because it failed to meet the software giant's standards on employee diversity. The UK arm of Microsoft is one of a small but growing number of British companies to monitor suppliers to ensure they employ a representative mix of women and ethnic minorities. It declined to name the company concerned...British-based companies that had put in place "supplier diversity policies," according to DLA Piper, included Morgan Stanley bankers, BAA airports authority, and the car rental group Avis Budget.