Disney appears to be retreating from some of its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in an effort to focus more on business outcomes and company values again, as President Donald Trump continues rooting out left-wing ideology in corporate America.
The media and entertainment company’s cultural shift was made apparent in a memo to employees on Tuesday. The memo, written by Chief Human Resources Officer Sonia Coleman, indicates that Disney is eliminating and rebranding its controversial DEI programs.
Disney did not respond to National Review’s request for comment about the reported changes.
Disney is ending its “Reimagine Tomorrow” initiative, which the company launched in 2021 to amplify underrepresented voices. The program sought to increase diversity and representation by making half of Disney’s regular and recurring characters come from “underrepresented groups,” according to its website that redirects to a new “Inclusion” page.
Reimagine Tomorrow sparked backlash in 2022 after video footage of an internal Zoom call leaked on social media, showing one Disney executive producer touting her “not-at-all-secret gay agenda.” It also drew litigation last year, filed by America First Legal, which accused Disney of “violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by engaging in illegal race, sex, and national origin discrimination.”
Language about Reimagine Tomorrow was removed from Disney’s 2024 10-K report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The program was included in the company’s 2023 SEC filing.
The 2024 form also excluded the “Disney Look” appearance guidelines, which were designed to “cultivate a more inclusive environment that encourages and celebrates authentic expressions of belonging among employees.” That description was included in the 2023 form.
While Disney is backing away from its commitment to diversity, its latest annual financial report still includes a DEI section. Among the programs mentioned is an executive incubator program that seeks to create a pipeline of younger executives from underrepresented backgrounds, as well as more than 100 employee groups that represent and support the company’s diverse global workforce.
According to the memo, executive compensation will be determined by a new “Talent Strategy” performance factor instead of the previous “Diversity & Inclusion” factor. Though it does rely on some concepts derived from the old DEI factor, the succeeding factor focuses more on how company values can drive business success.
Moreover, the content disclaimers that played before certain movie and television titles on the Disney+ streaming service will be moved to the details section of those titles, Axios reported. The advisories previously warned viewers about older films, such as Dumbo, that may include “negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures.”
Disney is also updating its Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs) by rebranding the “B” in the acronym to “Belonging,” per the internal memo.
“What won’t change is our commitment to fostering a company culture where everyone belongs and everyone can excel, enabling us to deliver the globally appealing entertainment that drives our business,” Coleman wrote.
The shift comes as the Trump administration targets DEI programs administered by the federal government and private companies. Trump recently signed an executive order “encouraging” the private sector to end its use of discriminatory race- and sex-based policies that conservative critics have opposed.
Stefan Padfield, executive director of the Free Enterprise Project at the National Center for Public Policy Research, welcomes Disney’s changes but remains skeptical about its motives.
“Disney dropping [Reimagine Tomorrow] from their DEI section could mean they’re walking back their DEI investments, or it could signal they’re hiding them,” Padfield told Fox News. “Either they recognize that more litigation is coming, or it could be part of a vibe shift.”
The National Center has submitted shareholder proposals, asking numerous companies to ditch their DEI values to prevent reputational and financial harm. The conservative think tank sent such a proposal to Disney last year.
Since returning as Disney CEO in November 2022, Bob Iger has spoken repeatedly about how the entertainment giant should prioritize storytelling over any political agenda. The corporate retreat from progressive messaging, though still in the early stages, already seems to be affecting the company’s entertainment products.
In December, Disney removed a character’s transgender-themed story line from an upcoming animated series called Win or Lose. The news was celebrated by parents who prefer to discuss gender identity within the family, although the character’s voice actor, who identifies as transgender, didn’t appreciate the decision. Pixar’s Win or Lose is set to premiere on Disney+ on February 19.