Apple’s management bucked a recent trend among US companies by urging investors to reject a call to ditch its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies.

The iPhone maker submitted an SEC filing on 10 January in which it explained shareholder the National Centre for Public Policy planned to call for it to drop its DEI programmes.

Apple noted shareholders are increasingly concerned over the validity of such schemes following a spate of court decisions which called the legality of DEI initiatives into question and reduced the threshold for successful discrimination lawsuits.

It noted a swathe of large US corporations had “sensibly” backtracked on DEI initiatives, explaining Alphabet and Meta Platforms cut related staff and investments, while “Microsoft and Zoom laid off their entire” teams.

Bloomberg reported Amazon detailed plans to cut down on DEI programmes on 10 January.

Other companies Apple noted had reviewed their DEI and related corporate equity positions include John Deere, hardware retailer Lowe’s, automotive companies Ford Motor and Harley-Davidson, and beverage manufacturer Jack Daniels.

Apple even conceded there is no argument DEI “poses litigation, reputational and financial risks to companies”.

Opposition
But Apple’s board argued the proposal should be rejected, deeming the move “unnecessary” due to its “well-established compliance programme” and the fact bosses “maintain active oversight of legal and regulatory risks”.

The board was also concerned over the plan’s potential to hinder its management, staff and strategies: “The proposal inappropriately seeks to micromanage the company’s programmes and policies by suggesting a specific means of legal compliance.”

Apple’s Audit Committee is adjudged to be sufficient in aiding the board’s oversight, with the company also noting a solid compliance programme covering its global operations.

The upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump appears to be a spur in the shifting views around DEI programmes.

Several big hitters in the technology world have cosied up to the incoming US leader in recent weeks, pumping many millions of dollars into inauguration events.