Apple investors rejected a proposal calling for the company to cease its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts during the annual shareholders meeting. This decision aligns with Apple’s recommendation despite rising tensions around corporate DEI programs. President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders aimed at ending DEI in the federal government have led to significant workforce changes, with corporations and universities grappling with their implications. Although a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of Trump’s orders, companies remain cautious about potential investigations. The proposal, introduced by the National Center for Public Policy Research, argued that Apple’s DEI initiatives could lead to discrimination lawsuits. Apple, however, emphasized that these efforts are crucial to its culture of belonging. More than two dozen companies, including Airbnb, Coca-Cola, and General Motors, have faced similar anti-DEI shareholder proposals. Conservative think tanks are behind most of these proposals, aiming to challenge DEI programs at major firms. Despite this, many companies, such as Costco, JPMorgan Chase, and Goldman Sachs, continue to support diversity efforts. — news from The Washington Post