Trump says Apple should eliminate diversity policies
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Apple's shareholders on Feb 25 voted to keep diversity policies in the face of growing pushback from conservative groups.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump on Feb 26 urged Apple to scrap its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, a day after the iPhone maker’s shareholders voted to keep them
Major US companies, including Meta and Alphabet, have dropped DEI initiatives ahead of and after Mr Trump’s return to the US presidency.
Mr Trump has criticised corporate DEI programmes as discriminatory and suggested the US Department of Justice could investigate if such efforts violate the law.
“APPLE SHOULD GET RID OF DEI RULES, NOT JUST MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEM. DEI WAS A HOAX THAT HAS BEEN VERY BAD FOR OUR COUNTRY. DEI IS GONE!!!” Mr Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Feb 25 vote at the iPhone maker’s annual meeting was seen as a test of shareholder views about the value of DEI programmes, which many companies added or beefed up starting in 2020 amid the Black Lives Matter movement.
Proponents of the proposal against DEI argued that recent legal changes meant Apple would see an increase in discrimination cases if it continued such policies.
Apple has said it had an active oversight effort to avoid legal risks and that the proposal inappropriately restricted management.
Chief executive Tim Cook said at the Feb 25 meeting that Apple’s “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”.
But he also said: “As the legal landscape around these issues evolves, we may need to make some changes to comply, but our North Star of dignity and respect for everyone and our work to that end will never waver.” REUTERS
