MILAN: Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke to faculty and students at Bocconi University, Italy's top business school on Tuesday, his first speech to a European university.
Here are the highlights from what he said:
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On Companies' Civic Responsibility
"Now more than ever businesses are in a position to help societies solve their greatest problems. The responsibility should not rest on governments alone. Whether we are talking about climate change or equal rights, the challenges we face are simply too great for businesses to stand on the sidelines."
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On Climate Change
"The environment must also be on the business agenda. As business leaders, we have a responsibility to address this, and urgently. We have obligations to our companies and our shareholders because climate change impacts supply chains, energy crises and overall economic stability."
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On Equal Rights
"We know that discrimination against anyone holds everyone back. So at Apple, we welcome everyone, no matter where they come from, what they look like, how they worship or who they love."
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On Data Protection
"Today our iPhones carry not just our conversations and our photos, but our financial information, our health data, and our most intimate conversations. We believe that kind of data is personal data. It is yours and no one else's. We keep it secure, and leave it alone."
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On Apple's decision to share technology on environmentally sound materials
"While some people might look at that as a competitive advantage, we are giving the information to our competitors for free. Because when our goal is to leave the Earth better than we found it, we need them to join us as well."
AP
