Tim Cook Values ‘Diversity With a Capital D,’ But Execs Are White Males

It's time Apple starts to think different and consider equity too.

By Jorge Rivas Dec 06, 2012

[Bloomberg Business Week](http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/85170-tim-cooks-freshman-year-the-apple-ceo-speaks) published an interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook on Thursday morning. In the interview Cook said his company really valued "diversity with a capital D." But what kind of diversity? Because the [top 10 executives at Apple Inc.](http://www.apple.com/pr/bios/) are all white males. "If you look at the top 100 people at Apple, you’re going to find very different people, very different personalities, very different styles. We’re not a Chiclet company," Cook told [Bloomberg Business.](http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/85170-tim-cooks-freshman-year-the-apple-ceo-speaks) "We don’t put people through a machine where they come out and talk the same, look the same, think the same. We really value diversity with a capital D." Even if Apple’s top 100 people are a diverse mix, can you say you value "diversity with a capital D" when the 10 people who actually make the decisions all look the same? "Apparently at Apple, you’ll find many kinds of diversity but not much racial or gender equity at the top considering the top ten executives are all white men," said Rinku Sen, president of the Applied Research Center and Colorlines.com’s publisher. Sen went on to illustrate the difference between diversity and equity. "Without equity you get diversity lite, where lots of people can come to the party but only a few – of the same kind – can change the music. Pursuing equity isn’t about politics; it’s just about taking a hard look at your practices and seeing reality." There you have it folks. It’s time Apple starts to think different and consider equity too. Equity with a capital E. Apple’s Board fo Directors scores slightly better in the diversity report card. The board ncludes eight members: seven white males and Andrea Jung, the executive ‘chairman’ of the board at Avon, who happens to be Asian American. In more positive news, Cook announced on Wednesday that [Apple plans on building a Mac in the United States in the coming year. ](http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/06/15708290-apple-ceo-tim-cook-announces-plans-to-manufacture-mac-computers-in-usa?lite)