Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer
Apple shareholders have rejected attempts to pressure technology trendsetters to take part in a push for President Donald Trump to a scrub company program designed to diversify the workforce.
The proposal, drafted by the National Center for Public Policy Studies (a self-proclaimed conservative think tank), encourages Apple to follow a string of well-known companies that have now retreated from diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the Trump administration’s crosshairs. Ta.
After a brief presentation on the anti-DEI proposal, Apple announced that shareholders had rejected it without disclosing the vote count. Preliminary results will be outlined in regulations later Tuesday.
The results ask the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether these types of programs discriminate against employees whose race or gender is not consistent with the goals of the initiative, and the diversity of the programmes. Established Apple Management’s decision behind the commitment.
But Apple CEO Tim Cook has maintained a heartfelt relationship with Trump since his first term with Trump. After Cook and Trump met last week, Apple announced on Monday that it would invest $500 billion in the US, creating 20,000 jobs over the next five years. This is a commitment praised by the President.
The shareholder vote on Tuesday came a month after the same group presented similar proposals at Costco’s annual meeting, but was overwhelmingly rejected.
That SNUB did not disappoint the National Center for Public Policy Studies to stand up to Apple about its DEI program in a pre-recorded presentation by Stefan Padfield, executive director of think tank Free Enterprise Project. ”
In the presentation, Padfield attacks Apple’s diversity commitment to be on the line with a recent court ruling, exposing the Cupertino, California company to an onslaught of potential lawsuits over alleged discrimination. I’ve said that. He cited the Trump administration as one of Apple’s potential legal enemies.
“The atmosphere shift is clear. Day is out and there are benefits,” Padfield said in his presentation.
The ghost of potential legal trouble last week came to Florida Attorney General James Usmieryer, who argued that the recently expanded DEI program would alienate many consumers and pay sales at the disadvantage of shareholders. It was expanded when a federal lawsuit was filed against it.
Like Costco, Apple argues that developing a diverse workforce has business implications.
However, Apple, which has approved Cook, may have to adjust its diversity programme “as the legal environment changes,” but maintains a culture that will help raise its current market value to $3.7 trillion I’m trying to do it. world.
“We will continue to create a culture of belonging,” Cook told shareholders during the meeting.
In its final diversity and comprehensive report published in 2022, Apple revealed that nearly three-quarters of its global workforce consists of white and Asian employees. Almost two-thirds of the employees were male.
Other major technology companies have long reported that they employ mostly white and Asian men, especially in high-paying engineering jobs. This has prompted the industry to significantly pursue efforts to diversify.
Original issue: February 25th, 2025 10:06am EST
