Apple Shareholders Reject Proposal to Abolish DEI Program

Last updated Feb 26, 2025

Apple shareholders on Tuesday voted against a proposal to abolish the company’s Inclusion & Diversity program, indicating continued investor support for these initiatives. The proposal, submitted by the National Centre for Public Policy Research, was rejected at Apple’s annual shareholder meeting.

It had urged Apple to discontinue its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, citing examples of other tech companies like Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, and Zoom scaling back their diversity programs.

The proposal argued that DEI programs could lead to discrimination and pose compliance risks that might affect Apple’s financial performance.

NCPPR Executive Director Stefan Padfield stated at the meeting, “The risks to Apple stemming from continuing to push these divisive and value-destroying agendas is only increasing in light of President Trump’s recent executive order focusing the Department of Justice on rooting out illegal discrimination being carried out in the name of DEI. The vibe shift is clear. DEI is out, and merit is in.”

Apple opposed the measure, asserting that it complies with employment laws and that the proposal sought to micromanage the company’s programs.

CEO Tim Cook emphasised, “Our strength has always come from hiring the very best people and then providing a culture of collaboration, one where people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives come together to innovate and create something magical for our users.”

However, Cook also acknowledged that the evolving legal landscape around diversity issues might necessitate changes.

The corporate world has seen a reduction in diversity programs, driven in part by a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that declared affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional.

Companies like Amazon, McDonald’s, Target, Ford, Lowe’s, and Walmart have scaled back their DEI initiatives.

President Trump, in one of his first executive orders after taking office last month, aimed to end federal government DEI programs.

Apple’s inclusion programs include internal support groups, features for people with disabilities, and research efforts to ensure products and services are free from racial bias.

According to the company’s website, nearly two-thirds of its workforce is male, and 35% is female. The website also reports that 42% of employees are white and 30% are Asian.

In other news, Apple shareholders rejected proposals to create reports on the company’s ethical AI data usage, the costs and benefits of different approaches to combat child exploitation, and charitable giving.

They also voted down a proposal from the National Legal and Policy Centre regarding Apple’s partnership with OpenAI, which suggested that the deal might contradict Apple’s focus on privacy.

Shareholders did approve Apple’s slate for the board of directors, its auditor, and the company’s executive compensation in an advisory vote.

This included CEO Tim Cook’s annual compensation, which increased to $74.61 million in 2024 from $64.21 million in 2023. Apple highlighted that its market cap had risen by over $3 trillion during Cook’s tenure.

At the meeting, Cook discussed a $500 billion earmark for U.S. spending announced on Monday, which was praised by President Trump.

“The U.S. is our home, and we’re deeply committed to the country’s future,” Cook said.

He also mentioned plans to raise Apple’s dividend annually, with an update for investors expected in May.

“We’ve also paid out more than $165 billion in dividends, including $15.3 billion in just the last four quarters,” Cook added.

CNBC