Apple shareholders to decide future of diversity programs
Apple has urged shareholders to vote against a proposal seeking to eliminate the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, according to an internal document published by the media on Monday. Major corporations such as Meta, Amazon, McDonald’s, Ford, and Walmart have recently abandoned or rolled back their DEI measures.
The proposal was submitted by the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative US think tank, which urged the company to terminate its DEI programs, citing potential legal, reputational, and financial risks. The vote is scheduled for Apple’s annual meeting on February 25.
The iPhone maker criticized the think tank’s actions as an attempt to “micromanage” the company, asserting that the proposal is unnecessary because it already has sufficient checks and balances in place.
The proposal cited a 2023 US Supreme Court ruling in Students for Fair Admissions vs Harvard, which found that considering an applicant’s race in university admissions decisions is unconstitutional.
Since then, conservative groups have made similar arguments against corporate DEI initiatives, calling the practice of ‘diversity hires’ discriminatory and damaging to the companies’ performance. The ruling has prompted over 60 lawsuits challenging DEI policies in various companies and institutions, according to the Guardian.
US President-elect Donald Trump plans to outlaw DEI initiatives in workplaces and educational institutions upon taking office in January, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Meta and Amazon have already ended their DEI programs, citing political considerations and perceptions of preferential treatment, multiple news outlets reported last week. Meta specifically mentioned a “shifting legal and policy landscape” and referred to the Supreme Court’s ruling.
