Apple
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
- Written by editor
Sylvia,
SumOfUs members like you made execs at the world’s most valuable company listen -- and act. Again!
SumOfUs members co-filed two resolutions at Apple this season -- on freedom of expression, and forced labor. As a result of members’ persistent shareholder activism -- that has secured the support of other investors in voting with us -- the company has promised action on both of them.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been in negotiations with Apple’s lawyers and top executives, firmly raising your concerns, as well as those of communities most impacted by their decisions. Finally, they promised to do enough to make us withdraw the resolutions!
Concern about Apple taking down apps -- especially virtual private networks (VPNs) that help people communicate safely -- to appease repressive governments like that of China, was the reason for our first campaign in 2019.
This time, a SumOfUs member co-filed a resolution with our friends at investment groups Azzad and Open Mic asking Apple to make it clearer what apps they had taken down, and why.
Apple’s Transparency Report currently only states how many apps each government has requested be removed, whether the request is based on... a legal violation, and whether Apple complied.
This means we are unable to scrutinise the risks to freedom of expression and access to information of Apple’s decisions.
Now, Apple has promised to publish the legal basis for removal requests by each government, alongside a breakdown by country and app category. We’re expecting to see these enhanced disclosures in the first Transparency Report of 2023.
This is a huge win for people living under and fighting against repressive governments, as it will allow us to hold Apple to account when it violates human rights -- and breaches its own policies.
Last year, after credible reports alleged that some Apple suppliers used Uyghur forced labor to make parts for iPhones, concerned SumOfUs members joined forces with the Uyghur community to challenge Apple to come clean about Uyghur forced labor in its supply chain.
Over a third of Apple shareholders backed a SumOfUs member shareholder resolution demanding greater transparency about the steps it’s taking to ensure there is no forced labor making Apple products.
SumOfUs shareholder members and staff met with Apple, and had candid discussions.
Apple heard your voices on this too and has agreed to provide detailed, and country specific information on what steps they are taking to prevent the use of forced labor in its supply chain.
At first, Apple wanted us to agree not to file resolutions on these issues for the 2024 AGM. But we told them that if they take the actions they are promising we’ll have no need to. But, if this year’s transparency reports do not include the extra detail on app takedowns and forced labor we’ll file again.
Companies can move more slowly than we’d like, and our power at Apple has steadily grown year after year. The Human Rights Policy that Apple published because of the resolution we filed in 2019 has meant we can hold it to account when it is not living up to those values -- for example regarding forced labor in its supply chain or when it takes down apps without saying why.
Imagine what another four years will bring. And what other companies we can influence, together.
This is the power that you, as a shareholder, have. If you’d like to join this group of shareholder activist superstars, sign up for our Stocks For Change program today! The more shareholders who come together to raise an issue, the more that company will listen.
Thanks for all that you do,
Sondhya, Vicky, Christina and the team at SumOfUs
P.S: Want to learn more about shareholder activism first? Watch the recordings of our recent webinars, What is shareholder activism? and How to Co-File a Shareholder Resolution.
More information:
Apple promises to disclose more details about app removals, Ars Technica (Financial Times), 12 January, 2023
SumOfUs is a community of people from around the world committed to curbing the growing power of corporations. We want to buy from, work for and invest in companies that respect the environment, treat their workers well and respect democracy. And we’re not afraid to stand up to them when they don’t.
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