Apple CEO Tim Cook is joining the growing number of executives who plan to donate their massive wealth to charity.
In a new interview with Fortune magazine, published earlier this week, Cook revealed that he plans on giving every last penny away, after he pays for his 10-year-old nephew’s college education. Cook said that he has even already started donating funds, but is doing so quietly.
Cook said that he believes it is important to publicly stand for causes, like AIDS, human rights and immigration, if you are in a leadership position like he is. “You want to be the pebble in the pond that creates the ripple for change,” Cook explained.
Indeed, since taking over for the late Steve Jobs, Cook has pushed for other major Apple employees to speak to the press. “My objective is to raise the public profile of several of the folks on the executive team, and others as well,” he told Fortune. “Because I think that’s good for Apple at the end of the day.”
As CNN Money notes, Cook made $9.2 million at Apple and has $145 million worth of stock awards. He has another $536 million in stock awards coming in the future.
Other executives have joined together under The Giving Pledge, launched with Warren Buffett and Bill Gates in 2010. Over 100 billionaires have signed on to give at least half their wealth to charity.
Cook is the only openly gay CEO of a Fortune 500 company. He officially came out in October.
screenshot from Wall Street Journal YouTube video