by Jason Snell
Apple’s diversity distraction
Alice Truong at Quartz covered a proposal to increase the diversity of Apple’s board of directors and senior management:
The proposal by investor Antonio Avian Maldonado II criticizes Apple for being “painstaking slow” to increase representation of minorities in its leadership and board. In a proxy statement filed Jan. 6, Apple’s board called Maldonado’s proposal “unduly burdensome and not necessary,” citing its ongoing diversity efforts.
Apple’s “ongoing efforts” are funding college scholarships at historically black college and universities, providing technology to underserved schools, and sponsoring other pro-diversity events. Spending money is great, but as Tim Cook himself said in Apple’s most recent report on diversity at Apple, “there is a lot more work to be done.”
Apple’s reply to Maldonado’s statement does specify that “the Nominating Committee of our Board of Directors actively seeks out highly qualified women and individuals from minority groups to include in the pool from which Board nominees are chosen, and this has been reflected in our most recent appointments to the board.”
That’s a bit better. Because writing checks to good causes won’t change the composition of Apple’s board and senior management—only action will.