[creer]

> Is it actually an issue though?

The corporations (companies, not trade associations) should care - even if the engineers tough it out. It's often an issue to them. Besides avoiding costly incoming litigation, corporations shouldn't be in the business of encouraging fiefdom, empire building, all the way to outright racism or harassement in groups. None of this overall helps the corporation achieve its objectives. While a manager is busy hiring only their friends or whatever other hobby they have, they are not doing their job.

Conflicts of interest do appear when a corporation estimates a person or group does a very effective "technical" job in spite of their hobbies. Then there's a dilemna: rebuild that group or tolerate the BS a little longer. Even then, they really should care.