Hannah Lucal, Open Mic's associate director, told Insider that it often tries to engage with companies directly on issues, but when that doesn't work out it will try to apply pressure through company shareholders. Recent internal blow-ups at Google have been red flags for how the company treats employees who raise concerns, she said.

"I think we're seeing a domino effect," Lucal said. "Over the past few years there have been so many stories coming out about how Google has retaliated against workers who speak up against ethical and human rights concerns."