Apple shareholders vote to approve proposals on civil rights audits and the use of NDAs in employment agreements, and Tim Cook's ~$99M compensation package
Apple investors pass two proposals after worker controversy Philip Elmer-DeWitt / Philip Elmer‑DeWitt : Meet Apple's least popular board members Veronica Irwin / Protocol : Apple shareholders approved a civil rights audit Richard Lawler / The Verge : Apple shareholders approve a civil rights audit and investigation of the risks of its NDAs Jack Purcher / patentlyapple.com : Apple Shareholders approved the annual compensation for Apple's CEO and Apple announces a return to work date Ed Hardy / Cult of Mac : 4 takeaways from Apple's 2022 shareholders meeting Michael Liedtke / Associated Press : Apple investors urge company to undergo civil rights audit MacDailyNews : Apple shareholders defy company and approve third-party civil-rights audits Mike Peterson / AppleInsider : Shareholders approve Apple civil rights audit, Tim Cook's $99M pay package Michael Potuck / 9to5Mac : Apple shareholders vote for third-party civil rights audits in contrast to board recommendation Tweets: @cherthedev : In Oct, I was offered a separation agreement with a suppressive NDA and a pre-written statement about why I was leaving the company. I've helped make such contracts illegal in Washington state and helped shareholders demand transparency and accountability. How's your heads now? @cherthedev : I just got word that $AAPL shareholders voted in favor of @IfeomaOzoma and @NiaInvest's Concealment Clause audit, despite the initial report that it was not approved. The last two days have been incredible. I'm speechless. It was ALL worth it. Thank you for listening to us. Matt Drange / @mattdrange : The rebuke of the company by shareholders comes after Apple told the SEC in writing that its “policy is to not use” concealment clauses. Many employment attorneys knew this wasn't true. But it wasn't until @cherthedev broke her NDA that they had proof: https://www.businessinsider.com/ ... @applelaborers : We want to say thank you to the $AAPL shareholders who helped pass the #CivilRightsAudit (Prop 9) today, illustrating what our combined voices can achieve. Thanks also to the groups who advocated for us: @SOCInvGrp @TrilliumAM @SEIU We did this together! @ifeomaozoma : Massive achievement for the Transparency in Employment Agreements Coalition. We've been working tirelessly towards this. So proud @openmicmedia @WhistleStopCptl @minderoo @NiaInvest https://twitter.com/... @cherthedev : On Sept 21, 2021, Apple execs asked me to stop tweeting about the company because I was “giving them a lot of headaches”. Four hours later, we received a memo from Tim Cook saying “leakers don't belong at Apple,” but the context was details about working conditions Patrick McGee / @patrickmcgee_ : Scarlett drew the ire of Apple last year when she garnered salary data from Apple employees in internal Slack channels, then made the data transparent to highlight alleged inequities. The vote, she said, proved widespread recognition that Apple's current framework is not working @timnitgebru : And the way they tried to make her pay for it and ruin her life using so many angles. People don't see what happens to those who do this. I have so much respect for @cherthedev we owe you so much. https://twitter.com/... Eva / @evacide : Apple's response to government takedown requests is generally pretty smart, until you get to China, at which point they stand around looking very uncomfortable and tell me it's complicated. https://twitter.com/... Patrick McGee / @patrickmcgee_ : “Troubling data came out of the wage transparency survey that showed there may be wage gaps at Apple, but what alarmed me most was the apparent lack of opportunity for advancement and certain careers for underrepresented groups, especially women of colour,” Scarlett told me. @cherthedev : Three worker's rights bills ✅ Computer science education for incarcerated youth ✅ Cyberharassment codified as a gross misdemeanor ✅ A civil rights audit of Apple ✅ I'm exhausted, but please hear me: It's worth it. It matters. You matter. WE HAVE THE POWER. ✊ @ifeomaozoma : Business as usual just isn't acceptable anymore. Concealment clauses in cases of unlawful conduct harm workers, shareholders, and the bottom line. Let's keep on working towards more of the “very unusual”. 😉 https://twitter.com/... @chellemarie333 : Reminded that @Sedgwick 's “independent” doctor said I wasn't trans, and therefor not bothered by transphobic harassment at my job and therefor could go back to work. How many others have they done this to? https://twitter.com/... Janneke Parrish / @jannekeparrish : I cannot emphasise enough how amazing this is. Thank you so much to the shareholders who voted to ensure Apple is more equitable, and to all my colleagues who worked and advocated for this. Thank you! #AppleToo https://twitter.com/... Patrick McGee / @patrickmcgee_ : Surprise! The “concealment clause” shareholder resolution at Apple's vote this morning has passed — after being rejected at the preliminary vote. Very close vote! @cherthedev https://twitter.com/... @socinvgrp : The majority support of the #civilrightsaudit proposal shows that investors heard $APPL corporate and retail workers and expect Apple to address these concerns. #Corpgov #AppleToo #AppleTogether #EquityatApple https://twitter.com/... @rolandsmartin : This is fantastic news! I hope this civil rights audit includes @Apple's expenditures with Black-owned media and other Black-owned companies! @tim_cook should embrace this. Investment AND philanthropy matters! https://twitter.com/... @cherthedev : Hey social justice brands: it's time to show us you mean it. https://www.cnbc.com/... Patrick McGee / @patrickmcgee_ : Apple shareholder votes: - “Reincorporate with Deeper Purpose” NOT approved. “Transparency Reports” NOT approved. “Report on Forced Labor” NOT approved. “Pay Equity” NOT approved. “Civil Rights Audit” IS approved. “Report on Concealment Clauses” NOT approved Kellen Browning / @kellen_browning : At today's Apple shareholders meeting, voters reject: -report on use of forced labor -requiring explanations for app removals due to govt requests -report on pay equity -report on employee NDAs/arbitration A “civil rights audit” is approved, as is Tim Cook's $99 million pay. Patrick McGee / @patrickmcgee_ : Only thing came out of the @Apple shareholders meeting: Shareholders voted for the board to create a ‘civil rights’ audit. *Quick thread* Patrick McGee / @patrickmcgee_ : Authors of the resolution said “the true value” of the audit will be the independence and assessment that it provides. “Additionally, it is essential that any evaluation on Civil Rights involves an auditor that has a strong Civil Rights background, something that Apple lacks.” @cherthedev : More FANTASTIC NEWS!! The civil rights audit from $AAPL shareholders by @SOCInvGrp and @SEIU was APPROVED. This is an imperative step in holding @Apple accountable for its promises in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and for #AppleToo justice. #AppleTogether Mark Gurman / @markgurman : Apple shareholders approved an outside proposal requiring audits of the company's impact on civil rights, marking a rare instance of investors defying the tech giant's recommendations. https://www.bloomberg.com/... https://twitter.com/... @accessnow : Apple complying with Chinese government censorship violates its own human rights policy. We need transparency now. https://twitter.com/...
Context & Ripple Effects
Employee concerns over Apple’s workplace practices had already reached labor authorities, including Cher Scarlett’s continued NLRB complaint after a failed settlement process. The shareholder vote brings civil-rights oversight into Apple’s formal governance process, while the NDA-report proposal did not pass.
The split result matters because the two issues did not remain on the same track: Apple later removed concealment clauses from staff and contractor agreements, and the NLRB subsequently found that executive comments and staff policies violated workers’ rights.
First-order effects
- Apple must commission a third-party civil rights audit after shareholders approved the measure, creating a formal review channel for the company’s practices.
- Shareholders also backed Tim Cook’s roughly $99 million compensation package, while rejecting a report on concealment clauses and employee NDAs.
Second-order effects
- The vote gives employee advocates a shareholder-backed oversight tool on civil-rights issues, but leaves NDA disclosure outside a shareholder-mandated reporting process.
- Apple’s later removal of concealment clauses separates contract terms from the rejected reporting request, while the NLRB’s findings on Apple policies keep workplace-rights scrutiny active through labor enforcement.
Third-order effects
- The split outcome points to shareholder proposals becoming a selective governance route for workplace accountability: audit demands may gain support even when prescriptive disclosure requirements do not.
- Apple’s later opposition to an anti-DEI shareholder proposal shows that workplace and civil-rights questions are becoming a recurring, contested part of corporate voting agendas.
The trend: Corporate shareholders are increasingly using audit proposals to press workplace and civil-rights oversight, while labor regulators and company policy changes determine how far those demands reach.