Costco shareholders rejected a proposal urging the wholesale club operator to evaluate any risks posed by its diversity, equity and inclusion practices. According to preliminary results shared by Costco executives at its annual meeting late Thursday, more than 98% of shares voted against the proposal. The National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank based in Washington, had submitted the proposal, arguing that Costco’s DEI initiatives hold “litigation, reputational and financial risks to the company, and therefore financial risks to shareholders.” The think tank has made a similar proposal to Apple, and like some American companies that already scaled back or retreated from their diversity policies, cited a U.S.