What you need to know
- Apple has announced the second round of its Impact Accelerator Program.
- It's part of Apple's Racial Equity and Justice Initiative.
- It's a three-month virtual course with training and mentorship.
Apple has today announced its second-ever Impact Accelerator Program as part of its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative.
The company stated:
Last fall, leaders of companies across the US participated in Apple's inaugural Impact Accelerator — a three-month virtual program including customized training, along with access to Apple expert mentors and an expanding alumni community — to expand their opportunities within Apple's supply chain. Launched in 2020 as part of Apple's Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, the Impact Accelerator is designed to support equity and opportunity in the environmental sector for Black-, Hispanic/Latinx-, and Indigenous-owned businesses on the cutting edge of green technology and clean energy, and aims to combat systemic barriers to opportunity, while also advancing innovative solutions for the communities most impacted by climate change.
Apple's VP of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives said "We cannot build a greener economy without building a more just one, where communities most impacted by environmental harms lead us toward solutions. Our Impact Accelerator models the approach we need — bringing bold, innovative, and diverse businesses together to speed progress to a carbon-neutral future."
Apple says it is now working with "several" businesses from the first program, highlighting in today's announcement impact of the program on several of these businesses.
Applications for the program open today and must be filed by 11:59 pm PT, April 30. Shortlisting will begin in June, and the program runs from August 1 through October 28. To be eligible, companies must be at least 51 percent owned, operated, and controlled by an African American, Hispanic/Latinx American, or Indigenous American individual. The businesses can be late-stage startups or mature firms. The program is free to participate in.
