Must listen to a proposal about human rights

Fruity cargo-cult Apple has been told that it must listen to its shareholders when they ask it to adopt policies that encourage human rights.

While you would think a company that touts its liberal credentials would be keen to follow such a vote, but apparently it needed to be done after SEC growled.

In fact, Apple wanted to ignore two liberal proposals from its shareholders. Christine Jantz, president of a Boston asset management firm, had asked Apple’s board to report on how it could cut greenhouse gas emissions by a fixed date.

Apple’s management said it did not need to do that because it was already “taking steps toward a more sustainable future” such as by using greener materials.

The SEC somewhat non-specific statement was good enough for anyone who was investing in Apple to be reassured that its devices would not end up with the death of polar bears.

“In our view, the Proposal seeks to micromanage the company by probing too deeply into matters of a complex nature”, the SEC stated.

However, it was less happy at another proposal that Apple wanted to ignore. Investor Jing Zhao called for Apple to set up a “human rights committee” to address topics like censorship. Again you would think that this was a subject dear to Apple’s heart, but at the moment it is rather keen to get the Chinese government back onside and is not that keen to take hard stands on censorship.

Apple said its board and management “firmly believe that human rights are an integral component of its operations.”

But the SEC turned down Apple’s request in a separate Dec 21 letter. For one thing, the SEC said, Apple’s board analysis “does not explain why this particular proposal would not raise a significant issue for the Company”.

In its proxy, Apple’s board recommends investors vote against Zhao’s measure, noting steps it already takes on rights and that when it comes to doing business in countries like China, “we must follow applicable law wherever we do business”.