According to a filing, the Apple board has recommended its investors to vote against the proposal of shareholders to abolish the company’s program of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank, has recently suggested a proposal for corporates, that companies should consider abolishing their “Diversity and Inclusion program, department, and goals.”
(Image Credit: Apple)The proposal referred to the Supreme Court’s decision of 2023, making the argument that DEI raises, “reputational, litigation, and financial risk for companies,” which would make Apple more vulnerable to lawsuits. Apple responded to NCPPR by arguing that the proposal was unnecessary as the company has well well-implemented compliance program. It also said that NCPPR’s proposal was an indirect attempt to micromanage the company.
Apple’s DEI Programs Under Scrutiny
Recently, Conservative groups have warned major companies to roll back their DEI program to avoid legal actions, as it violates the Supreme Court’s decision. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled a decision against affirmative actions of Universities to enroll students based on their race, class, and gender to promote diversity and inclusion.
In its filing, Apple stated, “We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in recruiting, hiring, training, or promotions based on any protected criteria.” Apple’s board has proposed its shareholders vote against a proposal to end the DEI program of the company. Shareholders will vote on NCPPR’s proposal at Apple’s annual meeting on February 25.
Conservative Influence on DEI Programs
Many large companies have rolled back their DEI programs, considering the threat of lawsuits from conservative groups. Recently, Meta joined the list of companies that rolled back DEI, the other major companies include Amazon, Walmart, McDonald’s, Toyota, and Harley Davidson. However, few companies like Costco have asked their shareholders to vote against the proposal to abolish the “Diversity and Inclusivity Program.”
Meta’s Shift Away from Diversity and Inclusion
Meta’s founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has also removed non-binary and transgender themes from its Messenger app. As per sources, he also ordered the removal of “Tampons” from the men’s washroom which was earlier placed for transgenders and non-binary people.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, Joel Kaplan, explained the company’s decision to end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. He said this would help Meta “build teams with the most talented people,” emphasizing that hiring decisions will focus on individuals without considering protected characteristics like race or gender.
Apple’s Stock Update
According to Counterpoint Research data, iPhone’s global market share dropped by 18% in 2024. Apple Inc. sold 5% fewer iPhones globally in the last quarter of the year, losing ground to Chinese competitors, partly due to the lack of Apple Intelligence in its biggest market outside the US. In a recent podcast, when asked about Apple’s market performance, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg said, “I feel like they haven’t invented anything great in a while. It’s like Steve Jobs invented the iPhone and they are just sitting on it for 20 years.”
