ISS Urges Apple Investors to Reject Proposal to Eliminate DEI Policies

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Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), a prominent proxy advisory firm, recommended on Friday that Apple investors vote against a proposal to remove the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. ISS argued that Apple’s disclosures provide shareholders with adequate information regarding its DEI initiatives, with no controversies or evidence of discrimination against any employee groups.

Apple’s board also urged shareholders to reject the proposal, asserting that it already has a robust compliance program in place. The board further argued that the proposal would unreasonably limit the company’s ability to manage its operations, personnel, and overall business strategy.

The annual meeting, where the vote will take place, is scheduled for February 25. Apple did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

In recent years, large U.S. corporations, including Meta, Alphabet, and Amazon, have faced increasing pressure to abandon their DEI initiatives, especially in the wake of conservative pushback and a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down affirmative action in college admissions.

The proposal against Apple’s diversity policies was put forth by the National Center for Public Policy Research, a free-market think tank, which had also requested that Costco Wholesale evaluate the risks of maintaining its DEI programs. However, shareholders at Costco overwhelmingly rejected the proposal in January.

Stellantis Expands AI Partnership with Mistral to Accelerate Industry Data Analysis

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Stellantis, the world’s fourth-largest carmaker, has announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with French AI firm Mistral. The move aims to enhance Stellantis’ capabilities in industry data analysis, which is crucial as automakers increasingly turn to AI to optimize processes such as customer feedback analysis, manufacturing quality control, and the rapid development of new products.

Ned Curic, Stellantis’ Chief Engineering and Technology Officer, emphasized the efficiency boost AI brings, saying, “Instead of waiting for analysis for weeks, we can do that in minutes and make a decision in the afternoon.” This AI-powered speed could revolutionize decision-making in the automotive industry, improving operational efficiency and time-to-market for new innovations.

Earlier this month, Stellantis also undertook management changes, following the surprising exit of CEO Carlos Tavares in December. These organizational shifts are part of a broader strategy to strengthen the company’s position in the fast-evolving automotive sector.

Taiwanese Microsatellite Demonstrates High-Resolution Imaging Capabilities, Says Japan’s ArkEdge

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Japanese space startup ArkEdge Space announced on Friday that a microsatellite it helped build for Taiwan’s space agency has produced high-quality Earth images that may be the best ever captured by a satellite smaller than a suitcase.

The small optical observation satellite, ONGLAISAT, achieved a 2.5-meter resolution from orbit approximately 400 kilometers above Earth after its December launch. “The pictures are as clear as aerial photography (despite) being taken by a satellite of this size,” said Takayoshi Fukuyo, CEO of ArkEdge, during a media briefing earlier this week. He noted that it was likely the highest-resolution imagery ever recorded by a small “cubesat.”

ArkEdge released black-and-white images captured by ONGLAISAT late last month, showcasing detailed views of locations such as a Seattle suburb and Argentina’s Patagonia region.

ONGLAISAT—short for “onboard globe-looking and imaging satellite”—is equipped with optical imaging technology from the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) and co-developed by ArkEdge and a University of Tokyo aerospace lab. Its mission is expected to conclude in early March, though TASA stated the demonstrated optical technology will be applied to future remote sensing missions.

Taiwan is accelerating its space infrastructure efforts amid rising tensions with China. These initiatives include the launch of a domestically produced weather satellite in 2023 and ongoing discussions with Amazon to adopt its satellite internet service, Kuiper.

Taiwan’s space expansion has also deepened its collaboration with Japanese commercial space companies. TASA announced partnerships with Japanese startups such as Space One and ispace, a moon exploration company. Additionally, Taiwanese private company TiSpace, founded by a former TASA official, plans to test its rocket at a private launch pad in northern Japan this year.