Apple will hold this year’s shareholders meeting virtually. The announcement of the meeting’s schedule mentions that it will be held on March 4, 2022, at 9:00 A.M. Pacific Time at a virtual meeting site. The rising number of COVID-19 omicron variant cases is the reason for the tech giant to move the meeting usually held at Steve Jobs Theater, Apple Park to a virtual space.
The new COVID-19 omicron variant is has a higher transmission rate than the COVID-19 Delta variant. Therefore, Apple closed several retail stores across the United States after COVID-19 breakouts and the company has also postponed its return to office plan till an undecided date. The company wrote:
“We are pleased to welcome shareholders to the 2022 Annual Meeting. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Annual Meeting will be held in a virtual format to provide a safe experience for our shareholders and employees.
To attend, vote, and submit questions during the Annual Meeting visit www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AAPL2022 and enter the control number included in your Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, voting instruction form, or proxy card. Online access to the webcast will open approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the Annual Meeting.
Attendance at the Annual Meeting is subject to capacity limits set by the virtual meeting platform provider. To submit questions in advance of the Annual Meeting, visit proxyvote.com before 8:59 P.M. Pacific Time on March 3, 2022 and enter the control number.”
Shareholders to present two controversial proposals at Apple’s upcoming shareholder’s annual meeting
More importantly, at the tech giant’s annual meeting shareholders are going to present two proposals for voting regarding employees’ treatment and diversity at the company. In December 2021, SEC denied the company’s motion to exclude the proposal which requires it to provide details of the use of non-disclosure agreements and other concealment clauses to investors.
The second proposal is seeking a civil audit of the company to examine the diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and policies of the organization because those factors have a profound impact on employees, customers, and communities. The push for an audit is intensified by the claims for the #AppleToo movement, employees highlighting incidents of physical, emotional, and sexual harassment and gender discrimination at the company’s corporate offices and retail stores.
