Apple has asked shareholders to vote against a proposal to scrap its diversity, equity and inclusion programmes, as tech rivals scale back similar schemes before Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative thinktank, wants the iPhone maker to end its DEI efforts because they expose companies to “litigation, reputational and financial risks”. The proposal will be voted on at Apple’s annual general meeting on 25 February.
In a notice to shareholders, Apple’s board has recommended investors vote against the proposal because, it says, it already has the right compliance procedures to deal with any risks and because the proposal “inappropriately attempts to restrict Apple’s ability to manage its own ordinary business operations, people and teams, and business strategies”.
DEI schemes are sets of measures designed to make people of all backgrounds – including ethnicity, class, sexuality and gender – feel supported and included in the workplace.
Last week, Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, said it was terminating its DEI programmes immediately.
“The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the US is changing,” said Janelle Gale, the vice-president of human resources at Meta, in an internal memo.
Meta also referenced recent supreme court decisions and the “charged” views of DEI that are held by some people.
The change followed Meta’s announcement that it was changing moderation practices at the company to “get back to our roots around free expression”.
after newsletter promotion
Amazon also announced last week that it was winding down its diversity programmes. In a memo to employees on Friday, the tech company said it was “winding down outdated programmes and materials” related to representation and inclusion.
