Apple CEO Tim Cook sat down with civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson on Monday to talk about a range of topics, including the company's ongoing initiative to create a more diverse tech industry.
Photo of Tim Cook's recent meeting with Rev. Jesse Jackson. | Source: Rev. Jesse Jackson via Twitter
Specific details of the hour-long meeting have not been disclosed, though both Apple and Jackson have gone on record as calling the discussion productive, USA Today reports.
"I am impressed with him and the conversation," Jackson said about Cook. "He has a real vision for Apple and he sees the value in inclusiveness."
In a statement sent to the publication, Apple spokeswoman Krisen Huguet said, "Apple is deeply committed to diversity within our company and the advancement of human rights around the world. We had a productive meeting with Rev. Jesse Jackson and we value his input. We look forward to working with him, our employees, customers and other stakeholders as we look for ways to do more."
Jackson is visiting San Francisco's Bay Area for a diversity in the workplace conference to be held by his Rainbow PUSH Coalition. The workshop will take place at Intel's headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif. He is also planning to join a rally outside of Apple's Cupertino headquarters being held by labor leaders to bring attention to a wage gap between corporate employees and lower level workers.
The rally is thought to be linked to a recent call for Silicon Valley security guard unionization. Last month, a local labor union spearheading an effort to unionize security guards and other laborers asked Apple for support in garnering better wages for contract workers. The company has yet to reply.
Employee diversification and wage gaps have become hot topics in tech. As part of a push to release diversification statistics, Apple in August issued a report that revealed most of its employees are white men. At the time, Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalitionpraised Apple for releasing the data.
Apple has since made workplace diversification a major initiative, coining the "inclusion inspires innovation" tagline used by Cook and others to promote the issue.