Going backwards

I’m no fan of Apple. Yes, their products are great and innovative, yet seem overpriced and over-hyped to me. It is the cult of Apple that I simply don’t understand but then, each to their own, there are many things that I don’t understand. So, I would normally skip over any story that had Apple (the company) in its headline. I made an exception, however, when I came across ‘Apple pushes back on call to end diversity programme’ on the BBC website.

The story went on, saying that ‘Apple’s board has asked its investors to vote against a proposal to end its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programmes. It comes after a conservative group, the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), called on the technology giant to abolish its DEI policies, saying they expose firms to “litigation, reputational and financial risks”.’

DEI is often referred to as EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) in the UK.

Apparently many US firms, including Meta and Amazon, are cutting back on some of their diversity programmes. They cite that EDI has become charged and their response would appear to reflect a more hardline approach from the incoming President.

This reeks to me of washing. If the businesses really valued diversity in their workforce they would continue to pursue such policies. Instead they have buckled to the prevailing, or rather incoming, political climate with a view to sucking up to their new overseers. These companies have nailed their colours to the ‘anti-woke’ agenda in the hope that their boot licking will further their companies and, I suspect, their own aims.

What does this say to the people who work at these organisations? We don’t care? We’re in this only for profit? Inclusivity doesn’t matter?

DEI/EDI matters because businesses should reflect the markets they are serving. Customers want to buy from companies that reflect their own values and inclusivity is one of these key values. DEI/EDI matters because customers matter.

I try very hard not to use Amazon and Meta, though they keep buying companies that I do use. Perhaps I should reconsider buying some Apple?