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Fri, 04 May 2007 Apple board faces difficult meeting

Apple may have reduced pressure over its green affairs, but options fiasco draws shareholder ire

Jonny Evans

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Apple's environmental message this week has pacified one angry shareholder, but others continue to voice their concerns at the company's ongoing options debacle.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs issued a report examining Apple's green credentials on Wednesday, and promised more transparency in reporting on such matters in future.

His report was sufficient to cause institutional investor Trillium Asset Management to cancel its plans to make a proposal at the company's annual shareholder meeting that would force the company to be more transparent in reporting environmental efforts.

The investor also praised Jobs for his report, and his commitment that the company would eliminate brominated flame retardants and polyvinyl chloride plastics from its products by 2008.

Another group the As You Sow Foundation also has a shareholder resolution demanding Apple report on recycling electronic waste, but hasn't decided whether to press its demands.

This year's shareholder meeting will be no walk in the park for Apple senior management, despite the company's continued business success.

Institutional investor Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) is recommending investors to withhold their votes for most of Apple's current board at the meeting, on strength of the stock option backdating fiasco.

ISS has told clients to withhold their votes for all members of the past and present compensation committee – Millard Drexler, William Campbell, Al Gore, and Arthur Levinson – and the special committee that investigated the case – Al Gore, Jerome York, and Eric Schmidt. Apple CEO Steve Jobs' name didn't make the list.

ISS said a no vote on the board members would serve as a signal of investor unhappiness with the whole affair. It is demanding Apple offer safeguards to prevent a recurrence of such practices and is critical of some of the remedies Apple applied.

“The Apple board’s handling of the entire options imbroglio does not inspire investor confidence.”

Apple's annual shareholders meeting takes place 10 May at the company headquarters.

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