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MANILA, Philippines – Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., spoke up against discrimination in the workplace and what companies should do to uphold the equality of its employees.
The CEO made his remarks after receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from Auburn University in a ceremony held at the United Nations on Tuesday, December 10 in New York City.
Cook, who is an activist for human social equality, also said that Apple’s innovative technologies are paving the way for a more open-minded society against sexual, racial and disability discrimination.
A native of Alabama, one of the historical hot beds of the American civil rights movement, Cook recounts how he witnessed aggressive acts of hatred against minorities.
“Growing up in Alabama in the 1960’s, I saw the devastating impacts of discrimination,” he says. “Remarkable people were denied opportunities and treated without basic human dignity solely because of the color of their skin.”
“I found in Apple a company that deeply believed in advancing humanity through its products and through the equality of all its employees,” says Cook. “These values guide us to make our products accessible for everyone.”
Apple supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that protects employees from prejudice against their sexual orientation or gender identity, and has enforced such regulations long before its official legislation. Cook is openly gay.
Apple’s humanitarian outlook includes people with mental disabilities who are “frequently left in the shadows of technological advancements, that are a source of empowerment and attainment for others.”
A single mother recently wrote to Cook saying that an iPad helped her three-year-old autistic son “find his voice.”
“If you believe as I do, push with all your might to influence your representatives to vote against discrimination,” Cook challenged. “Never allow the majority to limit the rights of the minority.”
Watch the video of Tim Cook’s speech at Auburn University below:
– Rappler.com
Maria Grippo is a Rappler intern.
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