Apple resists call for DEI rollback as Meta, Amazon retreat
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The news: Apple’s board recommended investors vote against a proposal by a group of shareholders to abolish its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, calling it unnecessary and an overreach by the conservative group behind it.
Apple said the proposal, submitted by the National Center for Public Policy Research, was "an inappropriate attempt to micromanage" the company’s operations. It added that the company already has a robust compliance program to address any legal or regulatory risks and reiterated its commitment to fostering a culture of belonging.
The context: The move comes as other major companies, including Meta and Amazon, have recently announced plans to dismantle DEI efforts, following the 2023 US Supreme Court decision ending affirmative action in college admissions.
Conservatives, including President-elect Donald Trump, and organisations, emboldened by the Supreme Court ruling, have pressured companies to end the DEI initiatives.
In a memo to staff on Friday about the changes affecting hiring, supplier and training efforts, Meta cited a "shifting legal and policy landscape," , Axios and Reuters reported.
Meta’s Chief Diversity Officer Maxine Williams has been reassigned to a new role focused on accessibility and engagement, the memo said. Meta's workforce as of 2023 was 51% Asian, 36% white, 3.5% Black and 6% Hispanic, according to a Bloomberg analysis of company data.
Meanwhile, Amazon in December also wrote to employees telling them it would wind down “outdated programs and materials” related to representation and inclusion, Reuters reported.
Companies that have recently made similar moves to scrap DEI policies include the supermarket chain Walmart and fast-food giant McDonald’s.
Critics, including civil rights groups, have warned the changes risk business growth and workplace inclusivity.
What they said: "The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing," Janelle Gale, VP of human resources at Meta, said in the memo, Axios and Reuters reported. "The term 'DEI' has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others.”
