Apple becomes first tech giant to explicitly ban caste discrimination (indiatoday.in)

Article summary

Apple has become the first tech giant to explicitly ban caste discrimination, updating its general employee conduct policy to prohibit such behavior. The company has also started training managers on the Indian caste system to help them understand the new policy. This move comes after a lawsuit was filed against Cisco Systems in 2020, alleging caste-based discrimination. Other tech companies, such as IBM, have also taken steps to address caste-based discrimination, but Google has faced criticism for canceling a talk on the topic.

Main themes

• Caste-based discrimination
• Tech industry diversity and inclusion
• DEI initiatives
• Corporate social responsibility
• Indian culture and caste system
• Intersectionality and privilege

What commenters say

• Some argue that Google's cancellation of a talk on caste discrimination and subsequent punishment of the employee who organized it suggests the company is not taking the issue seriously.
• Others believe that discussing caste-based discrimination is essential to addressing the issue and that companies should take a proactive approach to educating employees about it.
• There is disagreement over whether the concept of DEI is relevant to non-white cultures and whether it is being imposed by white people.
• Some commenters think that companies like Google are more interested in appearing to care about diversity and inclusion than actually addressing the issues.
• It is argued that caste-based discrimination is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, and companies have a responsibility to create a workplace where all employees feel welcome and included.
• Others suggest that the issue of caste-based discrimination is complex and nuanced, and companies need to approach it with sensitivity and understanding.
• There is a concern that some companies may be using DEI initiatives as a way to signal their virtuousness rather than actually making meaningful changes.
• Some argue that the focus on DEI can sometimes be counterproductive, leading to a culture of performative wokeness rather than genuine change.