Apple has announced that Lisa Jackson, its Vice President for Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, will retire in 2026. This marks the end of a more than decade-long tenure that reshaped the company’s environmental strategy and public policy posture.
Jackson’s departure comes amid a broader wave of senior leadership exits at the iPhone maker, including its general counsel, AI chief, chief operating officer, and head software designer, underscoring a period of transition at one of the world’s most influential technology companies.
Jackson joined Apple in 2013, shortly after serving as administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Barack Obama, where she made history as the first Black woman to lead the agency. At Apple, she became a central figure in the company’s climate agenda, diversity initiatives, and government relations.
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In a statement, Apple CEO Tim Cook credited Jackson with driving measurable progress on climate action and corporate responsibility.
“She has been instrumental in helping us reduce our global greenhouse emissions by more than 60 percent compared to 2015 levels,” Cook said, also praising her work advancing Apple’s commitments to education, accessibility, privacy and security.
A Defining Voice on Climate and Equity
Jackson played a leading role in positioning Apple as a global advocate for renewable energy and carbon neutrality, frequently outlining the company’s environmental goals at high-profile iPhone launch events. Her portfolio focused on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, protecting air and water quality, and reducing exposure to toxic materials across Apple’s global supply chain.
She was also a key architect of Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, launched in the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd. Under her leadership, Apple expanded its equity and justice programs beyond the United States to countries including the United Kingdom, Mexico, and New Zealand.
“At Apple, we pledge that our resolve will not fade,” Jackson wrote in a 2023 company report. “We won’t delay action. We will work, each and every day, on the urgent task of advancing equity.”
Shifting Political and Corporate Winds
Jackson’s influence in Washington evolved alongside shifting U.S. political dynamics. During the second Trump administration, her focus on climate action and diversity initiatives faced increasing resistance, as federal leaders publicly criticized environmental regulations and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
At the same time, Apple has navigated heightened regulatory and trade pressures, including tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Cook has held multiple meetings with President Donald Trump, stressing Apple’s U.S. manufacturing investments as part of efforts to shape policy outcomes.
Leadership Reshuffle Continues
Apple confirmed that Jennifer Newstead, currently Meta’s chief legal officer, will become the company’s new general counsel in March. Jackson’s government affairs staff will begin reporting to Newstead in late 2025, ahead of Jackson’s retirement.
Newstead brings extensive regulatory and government experience, having previously served as a Trump-appointed legal adviser at the State Department and as general counsel of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Jackson, who often accompanied Cook to state dinners and official Washington functions, leaves behind a legacy that tied Apple’s brand tightly to climate leadership and social responsibility, even as the company enters a new phase marked by leadership turnover and intensifying scrutiny of Big Tech’s power.
Her exit, alongside other high-level departures, signals a pivotal moment for Apple as it recalibrates its leadership bench amid rapid changes in technology, regulation, and global politics.
