Apple’s board of directors recommended shareholders reject the DEI rollback proposal

Apple’s board of directors urged shareholders to reject the proposal that would require the company to wind down its business Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, arguing that the move would be “unnecessary.”

the iPhone maker The defense of its DEI programs comes as many major companies are backing away from so-called “woke” initiatives following a 2023 Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action and amid public pressure from activists.

tape	protection	last	It changes	% changes
Apple	Apple Inc	236.85	-5.85	-2.41%

A proxy filing released ahead of Apple’s 2025 annual meeting shows that the National Center for Public Policy Research, a free-market think tank and activist shareholder, suggested Apple should abandon its DEI efforts, saying such programs put the company at greater risk. He is being sued To distinguish.

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But Apple recommended shareholders vote against the proposal, stating that it was “unnecessary because Apple already has an established compliance program and the proposal inappropriately attempts to restrict Apple’s ability to manage its normal business operations, people, teams, and business strategies.”

DEI often involves prioritizing race, gender or sexuality in hiring, training and programming, and conservatives have criticized the initiatives as divisive and discriminatory. DEI advocates say these efforts address racial divisions and provide support for groups that have been historically marginalized.

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DEI policies have faced increasing scrutiny over the past year or so, prompting at least a dozen major U.S. companies and hundreds of universities to back away from these commitments, including Walmart, Meta, and Ford.

tape	protection	last	It changes	% changes
And die	Walmart Inc	91.59	-1.41	-1.52%
dead	Meta Platforms Inc	615.86	+5.14	+0.84%
F	Ford Motor Company	9.65	-0.09	-0.92%

But Apple isn’t alone in standing strong behind its DEI efforts. The majority of major American companies still have such programs in place, as happened with Costco recently It defended its DEI policies While urging its shareholders to reject the proposal that would terminate them.

tape	protection	last	It changes	% changes
It costs	Costco Wholesale Company	936.94	+9.57	+1.03%

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FOX Business’ Kristin Parks contributed to this report.