Apple reports improving racial and gender diversity among employees

Black and Hispanic workers form 9% and 12% of the workforce respectively, up slightly from last year, with overall figures better than Google and Facebook

Apple claims to have improved its gender and ethnic diversity as the US technology company stayed ahead of fellow Silicon Valley powerhouses Google and Facebook Inc in hiring minorities.

Apple also said in its annual diversity and inclusion report that it had closed pay gaps over the last year by analyzing salaries, bonuses and annual stock grants, and had opened up its annual stock grants program to retail employees for the first time.