Photo Credit: Getty Images
Apple’s board of directors recommends investors vote against a proposal to cancel all of its DEI programs. The board issued the recommendation in response to a filing from the conservative think tank the National Center for Public Policy Research that said DEI programs make companies vulnerable to “legal, reputational, and financial risks” in light of the 2023 Supreme Court decision against affirmative action in college admissions.
In a recent proxy filing, Apple’s board contends that the proposal is “unnecessary” and “inappropriately seeks to micromanage the Company’s programs and policies.” Apple’s board says it maintains a strong compliance program and strives for a culture of belonging where everyone can do their best work.
This is not an anomaly: many of the biggest U.S. companies have been scaling back DEI efforts of late. Meta, Facebook’s parent company, announced recently that it was eliminating its DEI programs, citing a changing legal and policy environment. In a memo to employees, Meta’s Vice President of Human Resources, Janelle Gale, wrote that the “term DEI has become charged” and the company would, instead, emphasize “fair and consistent practices that minimize bias for everyone, regardless of background.”. Similarly, Amazon has started to retire some of its DEI programs. In a memo last December, Amazon’s Vice President of Inclusive Experiences and Technology, Candi Castleberry, wrote that the company is “winding down outdated programs and materials” around representation and inclusion, with the goal of wrapping things up by the end of 2024. The memo emphasized a shift toward programs with proven outcomes to foster a truly inclusive culture.
These corporate changes come as conservative groups raise the heat on companies to rethink their DEI policies. Critics contend that these programs may amount to favoritism for some groups and could invite legal challenges. The 2023 Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action has increased the focus on DEI programs in higher education and corporate America.
And yet Apple’s leadership doesn’t seem particularly red-faced over the trend. The board’s recommendation to vote against the NCPPR proposal underlines just how deeply diversity and inclusion run in Apple’s corporate DNA. Shareholders will vote on the proposal at Apple’s annual general meeting on February 25.
