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Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company does not have inclusion quotas or targets in its hiring process. Apple’s shareholders voted down a proposal to end its diversity, equity and inclusion program on Tuesday. File Photo by John G. Mabanglo/EPA-EFE

Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company does not have inclusion quotas or targets in its hiring process. Apple’s shareholders voted down a proposal to end its diversity, equity and inclusion program on Tuesday. File Photo by John G. Mabanglo/EPA-EFE

Feb. 25 (UPI) — Apple’s shareholders voted down a proposal to end its diversity, equity and inclusion program on Tuesday.

Apple’s shareholders rejected the proposal after the company signaled its opposition to it on Jan. 13. Apple’s board said such a proposal is “unnecessary.”

Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company does not have inclusion quotas or targets in its hiring process. The company said its Inclusion & Diversity program is an important part of its culture.

“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,” Cook said.

Cook added that the changing legal landscape around diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives may require Apple to re-evaluate its position in the future.

The proposal by the conservative organization the National Center for Public Policy Research claimed that keeping the program intact would put the company at risk of litigation and create “reputational and financial risks.”

“The vibe shift is clear, DEI is out and annual merit is in,” Stephen Padfield, executive director of the National Center for Public Policy Research’s Free Enterprise Project, said in a statement to shareholders on Tuesday.

Other tech companies, including Meta, Microsoft and Zoom, and other large companies such as Target, Amazon, Lowe’s and Walmart have begun scrapping similar programs since President Donald Trump took office.

Shareholders also voted down a proposal for Apple to create a report on “Ethical A.I.” data acquisition and usage.

The board opposed the proposal, arguing it does not raise specific issues with Apple Intelligence. Instead it focuses on OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT. The Apple board said this proposal is also unnecessary as Apple already provides information about its A.I. data privacy practices.

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