IBM employees have received an email from their CEO Ginni Rometty, which was written specifically for the staff and adressed several important issues. In the mail, Rometty talks about President Trump’s immigration ban and her involvement with the U.S. advisory council. She appeared to be dissatisfied with the ban and said that IBM would have not achieved its stature without such foreign talents. She also spoke about the long history of IBM leaders being directly involved with U.S. Presidents and that her institution believes in values not politics.
The email was obtained by TechCrunch, in which the CEO tells her team that though she is facing criticism, being a part of Trump’s administration is still the best decision she can come up with. She also took the opportunity to mention that she used her special access to the president for expressing concern over the ban orders. Rometty also says that they have always believed in diversity and will continue to do so by maintaining their corporate ethics.
Its for the very first time we have observed Rometty speak up about the immigration ban, however, on Friday a statement form company’s spokesperson Adam Pratt hinted about the prospects of an internal letter in which Rometty had offered Trump and the secretary of the DHS proposals for using tech which supports both national security and legal immigration.
In the light of some recent events, IBM’s Ginni Rometty and Tesla’s Elon Musk have been lambasted both externally and internally for continuing to be a part of Trump’s advisory committee, which is being condemned for working with an administration blamed for making pretty unpopular decisions. Earlier this month Uber CEO Travis Kalanick removed himself from Trump’s advisory committee after facing severe criticism on social media, and similar steps were expected from his IBM and SpaceX counterparts.
Here is what Rometty writes in her mail;
Team,
I’m writing you from the United Arab Emirates, where I’ve been meeting with leaders from business, academia and government. Tomorrow I will have similar discussions with leaders in South Africa. Last month I met with heads of state from European and Asian nations.
And last Friday, as many of you know, I met with President Trump. IBM leaders have been engaging directly with every U.S. president since Woodrow Wilson, and this was my ninth such meeting since becoming CEO. Like my predecessors, I’m invited to these discussions because of the trusted perspective IBM offers in solving problems.At the White House, we discussed a wide range of issues – from smarter infrastructure investments, to increasing the number of women in the workforce, to cybersecurity, to jobs. And, of course, we spoke about the president’s recent executive order affecting immigration and travel.
Into this discussion I brought IBM’s perspective as a truly global company. We employ people serving clients in more than 170 countries, and we embrace people of all faiths and backgrounds. We would not be the company we are today without the benefit of immigration and the flow of talent across all our markets. From this great diversity, we draw strength as a company.
Because we are so large and so global, our perspective is also special. IBMers and their families have been touched by terrorist attacks, from New York, to Paris, to the skies over Egypt. And IBMers have been touched, too, by the executive order put in place two weeks ago. In every case, my first priority has been to support and care for the employees and families most directly affected.
As elected leaders make decisions on national policy, we seek to provide ideas and solutions grounded in our values and technological expertise. Both. So on Friday, I discussed with the President and the Secretary of Homeland Security ways that advanced technology could address national security imperatives while also permitting lawful immigration and travel. I explained that this is not an either/or choice. Our points were heard, and we will continue to engage to find solutions that align with our values.
Some have suggested that we should not engage with the U.S. administration. I disagree. Our experience has taught us that engagement – reaching out, listening and having authentic dialogue – is the best path to good outcomes. IBM does not espouse a partisan or political point of view. Alone among our major competitors, we do not make political contributions, and we do not endorse candidates for office. We never have.
But if IBM does not have politics, it does have values. IBMers believe in helping our clients succeed beyond even their own expectations; in innovation that matters to the world; in building relationships based on trust and personal responsibility. And we have always led the world of business in diversity, inclusion and tolerance. Inspired by those values and that legacy, I offer every government leader with whom I engage innovative ideas to address national challenges.
This is what we do. It has been our ethos for more than a century. And it’s why so many of us chose to become IBMers. Where others see the unsolvable, we see solutions. I could not be more proud of what you do every day to live our Values and to make the world a better place. It is what makes IBM, IBM.
Ginni Rometty
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
