Apple shareholders have reaffirmed the company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion – rejecting a proposal to dismantle its DEI initiatives.

The vote, held at Apple’s annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday, marked a pivotal moment in the broader corporate debate over DEI.

Some of the biggest employers in the US have begun rolling back such policies in response to shifting political and legal pressures.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump reacted to the news of investors voting to keep Apple’s DEI programmes.

“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!!!” Trump said on the social networking platform Truth Social.

The president has been vocal in his opposition to DEI, describing such programmes as discriminatory and even suggesting that they could face legal scrutiny under his administration.

The proposal, titled “Request to Cease DEI Efforts,” was spearheaded by the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank that argues DEI policies expose companies to legal and reputational risks.

Despite this push, the measure failed spectacularly, garnering just 210.45 million votes in favour, compared to a resounding 8.84 billion votes against.

Also Read: Companies rolling back DEI efforts

A sign of resistance

The outcome of the vote stands in stark contrast to the growing corporate retreat from DEI.

Companies such as Meta, Alphabet, Exxon, Walmart, and McDonald’s have either scaled back or dismantled their initiatives altogether, citing concerns over legal vulnerabilities and political headwinds.

In contrast, Apple has held the line, positioning itself as a corporate outlier willing to defend its DEI initiatives.

CEO Tim Cook clarified that, while Apple may need to adjust to evolving legal landscapes, its fundamental commitment to diversity remains steadfast.

“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,” Cook said during the meeting.

The CEO, however, acknowledged that compliance with some legal changes may necessitate modifications in its DEI policies, but he assured stakeholders that Apple’s “North Star of dignity and respect” would remain unchanged.

Also Read: Diversity hiring: Is Google losing touch with its DEI principles?

A high-stakes vote in a tense business climate

The proposal’s defeat signals confidence in Apple’s DEI strategy, which focuses on fostering inclusivity rather than imposing quotas. Apple has been transparent about its workforce diversity statistics but does not enforce hiring targets.

Instead, it has channelled its DEI efforts into initiatives such as supporting historically Black colleges and universities in the US; teaching coding skills to indigenous populations in Mexico; and collaborating with Aboriginal-led organisations on criminal justice reform in Australia, Reuters reported.

Apple also said the company already has robust oversight mechanisms to mitigate risks, and that the rejected proposal only sought to micromanage the company’s operations.

A wider corporate reckoning on DEI

Apple’s shareholder vote follows a similar rejection of an anti-DEI proposal at Costco, where shareholders overwhelmingly supported the retailer’s inclusive approach.

Costco Chairman Hamilton James pointed out the importance of fostering a workplace where employees feel valued, stating: “We owe our success to the more than 300,000 employees who serve our members every day.”

However, not all companies have taken the same stand. Goldman Sachs, once a vocal proponent of boardroom diversity, has since dropped its requirement that companies seeking to go public must have at least two diverse board members. This shift illustrates how corporate stances on DEI are being recalibrated in the face of mounting scrutiny.

Also Read: How microcultures influence organisations

Standing firm while adapting to legal realities

While Apple successfully resisted shareholder pressure to abandon DEI, the leadership recognises the need to navigate an intensifying regulatory landscape.

Cook’s remarks reflect an awareness that legal challenges could reshape corporate diversity efforts and force companies to rethink how they implement inclusion strategies without falling afoul of the law.

Apple’s firm stance on DEI reflects a broader reality: abandoning inclusion efforts risks alienating consumers and employees.

But while the shareholder vote represents a short-term victory for advocates of DEI, the long-term trajectory remains uncertain. The legal landscape is shifting, and political pressures continue to mount.

Apple as a case study proves that, on the subject of DEI, the boardroom remains a battleground.

Whether other companies will follow Apple’s lead or succumb to external pressures is still an open question. What is clear, however, is that the conversation around DEI is far from over.