Berkshire Hathaway shareholders rejected a series of proposals related to diversity, AI oversight, and environmental reporting during the company’s annual meeting, highlighting tensions between corporate governance advocates and the company’s famously decentralized management approach. The voting occurred against the backdrop of Warren Buffett‘s unexpected announcement that he would step down as CEO by year-end, with Vice Chairman Greg Abel taking over the leadership role at one of America’s most influential companies.
The big picture: Shareholders voted down seven proposals requiring Berkshire to report on or oversee diversity initiatives, AI risks, and environmental activities, aligning with the board’s recommendation.
- The rejected resolutions included requirements to report on race-based initiatives, create diversity committees, establish AI risk oversight, and disclose “voluntary” environmental activities.
- The votes reflect broader corporate America’s retreat from public diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives – i.e. racial balancing acts – amid conservative pushback, including from President Donald Trump.
Key details: Buffett, who controls approximately 30% of Berkshire’s voting power, opposed all seven proposals along with the rest of the board.
- The board argued the proposals were unnecessary and inconsistent with Berkshire’s decentralized structure, where operating companies set their own policies.
- Berkshire maintains its approach is to “follow the law and do the right thing” regarding employment factors, though the company recently removed a reference to “diversity and inclusion in the workforce” as a hiring goal in its annual report.
Leadership transition: During the same meeting, Buffett announced he would step down as CEO at the end of 2023, with Greg Abel selected as his successor.
- Abel, currently a Vice Chairman, presided over the reading of the shareholder proposals during the meeting.
- Shareholders also reelected all eligible directors, including both Buffett and Abel.
Broader context: The rejection of these governance proposals comes as many businesses scale back public support for diversity initiatives amid political pressure.
- Conservative politicians and activists, including President Trump, have increasingly targeted DEI programs in both private business and government sectors.
- The voting results reinforce Berkshire’s traditional resistance to centralized policy mandates across its highly diverse portfolio of companies.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...