The board of directors of Apple has spoken out in defense of the company’s DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies.
Fox Business has reported that the National Center for Public Policy Research has recommended that the tech giant drop its DEI policies at its Feb. 25 shareholders meeting, claiming that such policies could result in discrimination lawsuits.
The National Center for Public Policy Research’s proposal points to the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against race-based affirmative action in college admissions, and notes how other major corporations have moved away from DEI ever since.
”It’s clear that DEI poses litigation, reputational and financial risks to companies, and therefore financial risks to their shareholders, and therefore further risks to companies for not abiding by their fiduciary duties,” the proposal states. “With 80,000 employees, Apple likely has over 50,000 who are potentially victims of this type of discrimination. If even only a fraction of employees file suit, and only some of those prove successful, the cost to Apple could reach tens of billions of dollars.”
In response, the Apple board has called the anti-DEI recommendation “unnecessary.”
”The proposal is unnecessary as Apple already has a well-established compliance program,” the board argues. “The proposal also inappropriately attempts to restrict Apple’s ability to manage its own ordinary business operations, people and teams, and business strategies.”
”The proposal inappropriately seeks to micromanage the Company’s programs and policies by suggesting a specific means of legal compliance,” the board adds.
In order for the measure to pass, the proposal “requires the affirmative vote of (i) a majority of the shares present or represented by proxy and voting at the Annual Meeting and (ii) a majority of the shares required to constitute a quorum,” according to Apple policy.
Apple currently features an extensive “Inclusion & Diversity” page on its website, including links to its “Racial Equity and Justice Initiative” and net zero environmental goals.
Last week, McDonald’s also joined the growing anti-DEI trend in corporate America when it announced it would be reducing some of its DEI-based programming, such as ending its “Supply Chain’s Mutual Commitment to DEI pledge.”
This article was originally published at campusreform.org