Apple's board has called on investors to vote against a proposal to end its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programmes.

It comes after a conservative group, the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), called on the technology giant to abolish its DEI policies, saying they expose firms to "litigation, reputational and financial risks".

Apple's directors say the NCPPR's proposal was unnecessary because the company has appropriate checks and balances in place.

Other major US firms, including Meta and Amazon, have rolled back DEI programmes ahead of the return to the White House this month of Donald Trump, who has been highly critical of DEI policies.

"The proposal is unnecessary as Apple already has a well-established compliance program," the firm's filing to investors said.

Apple's board also said the DEI rollback plan "inappropriately seeks to micromanage the Company's programs and policies by suggesting a specific means of legal compliance."

NCPPR's proposal is set to be put to a vote by shareholders at Apple's annual general meeting on 25 February.

Conservative groups have threatened to take legal action against major companies over their DEI programmes, saying such policies are at odds with a Supreme Court decision in 2023 against affirmative action at universities.

Last week, Facebook owner Meta became the latest US company to roll back its DEI initiatives, joining a growing list of major firms that includes Amazon, Walmart and McDonald's.

In a memo to staff about the decision - which affects, hiring, supplier and training efforts - Meta cited a "shifting legal and policy landscape".

It also referred to the Supreme Court's affirmative action ruling.

Meta's boss, Mark Zuckerberg, has been moving to reconcile with Trump since his election in November.

The firm has donated $1m (£820,000) to the President-elect's inauguration fund, hired a Republican as his public affairs chief and announced it is getting rid of fact-checkers on Meta's social media platforms.

Mr Zuckerberg is not alone among top executives making such moves in the face of mounting pressure from conservative groups.