I've commented on how certain tech companies like to talk about diversity when their leadership isn't. Apple is one of those companies. Today I read that it feels that the call to diversify it's ranks with colored people is an "
unduly burden".
Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook sang the praises of a diverse workforce. He said diversity is a "readily solvable issue" that can be fixed.
I'm sure he had a Staples "easy" button with him when he said it too.
but Apple's board of directors opposes a new proposal to increase diversity among its board and senior management.
The proposal, submitted by Apple shareholder Antonio Avian Maldonado, would require an accelerated recruitment policy to change the company's organizational makeup.
I haven't seen the actual proposal so I can't comment on the actual details of the proposal but it is worth noting the following:
Apple's executive team, like many of the other major tech firms, is overwhelmingly white and male. Out of 18 positions, there are three women -- two of whom are black. The other 15 roles are filed by white men.
One should note that the two black female executives are in HR and "Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives". Decidedly
non-technicalroles in the tech company. And I'm quite certain that the latter position is a newly created one. This isn't to diminish the work that these women do, but it follows the pattern I have seen, including in my own employment, where the leadership of technology services and products are filled by Europeans or Asians. Mind you there are data related reasons for this. Europeans and Asians make up the vast majority of those with computer degrees and their share increases as you move into the more advanced degrees. Also in Apple's case not a few of the people on the executive team are long time employees who, in all fairness,
earned their positions. For the
complexion of Apple's executive team to change, there would have to be a long term hiring and promotion plan for non-whites and non-Asians. Good luck with that.
