According to a BBC report, Appleās board has advised investors to reject a proposal calling for the termination of the companyās 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, Appleās 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 companyās programs and policies.”
The NCPPR proposal will be voted on by shareholders at Appleās 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 Courtās 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 Trumpās 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 Courtās affirmative action ruling as reasons for the decision.