Apple's board of directors asked shareholders to reject a proposal that would have required the company to end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program, calling the measure “unnecessary.”
iPhone maker defends its DEI program as several major companies scale back so-called “woke” efforts amid public pressure from activists following Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in 2023 This was while I was doing it.
According to a proxy filing released ahead of Apple's 2025 annual meeting, the National Center for Public Policy Research, a free market think tank and activist shareholder, said such programs put the company at greater risk of being sued. , has been shown to have suggested that Apple stop its DEI efforts. discrimination.
However, Apple encouraged shareholders to vote against the proposal, stating, “Apple already has an established compliance program, and this proposal would allow Apple to comply with its normal business operations, personnel and team.'' “There is no need to do so, as it seeks to inappropriately limit the ability to manage business strategy.” ”
DEI often prioritizes race, gender, and sexuality in hiring, training, and programs, an effort criticized by conservatives as divisive and discriminatory. DEI advocates say these efforts address racial disparities and provide support to historically marginalized groups.
DEI policies have come under intense scrutiny over the past year or so, with at least 10 major U.S. companies and hundreds of universities reversing these efforts, including Walmart, Meta, and Ford.
But Apple isn't the only company that firmly supports DEI efforts. The majority of major American companies still have such programs in place, and Costco recently defended its DEI policy while urging its own shareholders to reject proposals to end it.
