Even as Reverend Jesse Jackson was calling on Apple CEO Tim Cook to name a person of color to Apple’s board of directors to replace the retiring Mickey Drexler at its annual shareholder’s meeting, the company announced that it would invest some $50 million in grants to various organizations aimed at raising the profile and diversity of minorities, women, and service veterans in the technology industry. The money will fund the first stage of a multi-year effort, the company said.
The move comes on the heels of two $10,000 scholarships funded by the company specifically to foster minority university students who are training for careers in tech, and a diversity report from the iPhone maker of its own company makeup — one of the few tech companies to even do such a report, let alone publicize it. Cook has publicly vowed to work to increase diversity, sharing the view that the kind of outside-the-box thinking that the firm thrives on is best served by a wider array of backgrounds and talents.
The new program is being headed by Apple’s human resources chief, Denise Young-Smith — who also narrated a video made by Apple showing off and celebrating the diversity of staff among Apple employees. This included a cameo by SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue, who is Hispanic. In addition, among the executive team is CFO Luca Maestri, who hails from Italy, and Dame Angela Ahrendts — currently the only woman at the senior executive management level. There is, however, greater diversity at the Vice President level — for example, Apple’s VP of Environmental Initiatives Lisa Jackson, and music executive Andre Young (Dr. Dre) in a still-untitled capacity as part of its Beats acquisition.
Apple’s board of directors includes two women — Andrea Jung of Avon and Susan Wagner of the RBB Fund — but like its executive management and primary talent pool, the company is (unsurprisingly) overwhelmingly dominated by white men. This is what prompted Jackson’s call for an African-American board member, and while Cook did not commit to such a proposition, he did reassure Jackson that the company is continuing efforts to diversify at all levels throughout the company. Jackson has also met privately with Cook on the topic of diversity.
Two of the organizations that will benefit from the $50 million pool of grants are the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the National Center for Women and Information Technology. Currently, Young-Smith is also holding talks with leaders in the US military to identify or set up technology training opportunities for veterans.
“Though Apple is investing in opportunities for people who don’t typically seek technology jobs,” Young-Smith said, “the hope is that the entire sector benefits from its efforts … in any of these programs, we’re really trying to provide focus, impact and a ripple effect — not just on Apple.”
