Tech giant聽Amazon has taken on a new policy that aims to create a more聽diverse board of directors.
The firms says it will ensure that diverse candidates must be included when considering board openings.
Of the company鈥檚聽ten board members, all are white and only three are women.
The move comes after initially opposing the shareholder proposal to instate the rule 鈥� also known as the 鈥楻ooney Rule鈥� following an NFL edict that requires a similar process when interviewing for top coaching or management positions.
The initial proposal from shareholders said Amazon鈥檚 board must take more practical steps to promote diversity within its ranks.
It said: 鈥淪hareholders have long believed that embracing diversity will benefit companies by providing greater access to talent, harnessing existing talent more effectively, and improving decision making by reducing groupthink and similar psychological biases.鈥�
Amazon had originally opposed the shareholder proposal, saying that finding diverse candidates聽was already a consideration when filling spots.
It said at the time: 鈥淭he board believes that adoption of the policy requested by the proposal would not be an effective and prudent use of the company鈥檚 time and resources.鈥�
However on Monday it responded again with an US Securities and Exchange Commission filing, saying: 鈥淭he Amazon board of directors has adopted a policy that the nominating and corporate governance committee include a slate of diverse candidates, including women and minorities, for all director openings. This policy formalises a practice already in place.鈥�
In a letter to the Congressional Black Caucus, Amazon鈥檚 VP of public policy Brian Huseman said: 鈥淲e reached this decision after listening to your feedback as well as that from Amazon employees, shareholders, and other stakeholders about the board diversity proposal.
鈥淭hese conversations led us to reconsider both our decision on the shareholder proposal and how we explained our initial recommendation.鈥�