What you need to know
- Apple is being challenged by shareholders over its Right to Repair stance.
- A resolution has been proposed that will ask the company to account for its practices.
- U.S. Pirg says Apple's stance undermines its reputation as a climate leader.
A group of Apple shareholders has filed a resolution to hold Apple to account over its Right to Repair stance.
U.S. Pirg announced the move in the wake of the iPhone 13 announcement stating:
On Monday, September 13, Green Century Capital Management°, PIRG's affiliated socially responsible mutual fund company, announced that it had filed resolutions with both John Deere and Apple calling for an account on the companies' "anti-competitive repair policies."
The resolutions are a call to put more pressure on Apple because of restrictions such as authorized repair shops. Green Century said in a press release:
Green Century Capital Management° has filed a shareholder proposal with Apple Inc. regarding risks posed by the restrictive nature of the company's product repair policies. The technology giant, which has committed to achieving carbon-neutral products and supply chains by 2030, is the most valuable company in the world.
The group's president Leslie Samuelrich said "Investors are extremely concerned about Apple's disingenuous combination of promoting environmental sustainability while inhibiting product repair. The company risks losing its reputation as a climate leader if it does not cease its anti-repair practices."
The group says Apple "continues to earn criticism" over "denying consumers and independent repair shops access to repair materials but also designing products in such a way that hinders repair."
Green Century says it will "press Apple to reverse its anti-repair practices in order to mitigate regulatory and reputational risks and bolster the company's ambitious climate commitments.
