Apple board urges shareholders to reject proposal to end DEI programmes, reports

Appleā€™s board has recommended shareholders vote against a proposal to abolish its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, as conservative pressure mounts on major US firms to roll back such initiatives.
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According to a BBC report, Appleā€™s board has advised investors to reject a proposal calling for the termination of the companyā€™s DEI programmes. The proposal, put forward by the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), claims that DEI initiatives increase “litigation, reputational and financial risks.”

In response, Appleā€™s directors said in a filing that the proposal is unnecessary because “Apple already has a well-established compliance program” and that the demand “inappropriately seeks to micromanage the companyā€™s programs and policies.”

The NCPPR proposal will be voted on by shareholders at Appleā€™s annual general meeting, scheduled for 25 February. Conservative groups have increasingly criticised DEI policies, with some threatening legal action against companies over concerns that such policies conflict with the US Supreme Courtā€™s 2023 ruling against affirmative action in universities.

The debate comes as several high-profile US firms, including Meta, Amazon, and Walmart, have scaled back their DEI efforts ahead of Donald Trumpā€™s return to the White House this month. Trump has long been a vocal critic of DEI policies.

Last week, Meta became the latest company to roll back its DEI initiatives, affecting efforts in hiring, supplier diversity, and training. In an internal memo, Meta cited the “shifting legal and policy landscape” and referenced the Supreme Courtā€™s affirmative action ruling as reasons for the decision.

Ryan Fowler

Ryan Fowler is Publisher of Workplace Journal

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