Apple's Board Urges Shareholders to Reject Proposal to End Diversity Programs
Apple’s Board Urges Shareholders to Reject Proposal to End Diversity Programs
The proposal referenced recent rulings by the Supreme Court. It argued that DEI initiatives could lead to “litigation, reputational, and financial risks for companies,” potentially making Apple more susceptible to legal action.
In response, Apple stated that it has a well-established compliance program, deeming the proposal unnecessary. Furthermore, the company claimed that the shareholder proposal represented an inappropriate attempt to dictate Apple’s business strategy. According to a proxy filing, Apple’s board of directors advised shareholders to vote against a proposal to eliminate the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.
The National Center for Public Policy, a conservative think tank, proposed that the company consider terminating its “Inclusion & Diversity program, policies, department, and goals.” In the filing, Apple asserted, “Apple is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate during recruiting, hiring, training, or promotions for any legally protected reason.” TechCrunch initially reported this information. Several significant corporations, such as Meta and Amazon, are dismantling their diversity programs in anticipation of Republican Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, as conservative opposition to such initiatives intensifies. Conservative organizations have criticized DEI programs and have threatened legal action against companies implementing them, encouraged by a 2023 Supreme Court decision that abolished affirmative action in university admissions processes. These developments reflect how some of the most prominent American companies have responded to an increasing conservative backlash against diversity initiatives, which surged after extensive protests following the police killings of George Floyd and other Black individuals in 2020.
Source: Reuters
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