Recent leaks from Disney indicate that the company has significantly changed its strategy regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), essentially dropping these terms entirely for the first time since 2019.
Disney has rolled out “Global Belonging Week,” a series of events designed to engage employees that focuses on “belonging” and “inclusivity,” while notably avoiding any mention of “diversity,” “equity,” or “DEI,” as stated in an internal email obtained by Business Insider.
Furthermore, in a shift in communication, Disney has eliminated the phrases “diversity,” “inclusion,” “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” and “DEI” from its annual report, opting instead to use “capital” strictly within a financial context.
The upcoming report for 2025 is set to be quite different from the 2024 version, which had a specific section dedicated to DEI efforts.
In contrast, the 2024 report highlighted the company’s goal to recruit diverse voices for creative teams and to maintain teams that mirror the experiences of their audience.
Earlier this year, Disney axed two DEI initiatives under pressure from investors, discontinuing “Reimagining Tomorrow” as well as “Disney Look.”
Mita Mallick, a workplace strategist and author, remarked that the terminology is telling of current sentiments, as reported by Business Insider.
“‘Diversity’ and ‘equity’ are terms people often avoid,” Mallick noted, explaining that the shift towards terms like “belonging” and “culture” reflects a wider trend, where such language appears to be less politically charged than “DEI.”
In a related note, Disney faced backlash in 2022 after a leaked video of executives discussing company plans for increased LGBTQ+ representation revealed a so-called “not-so-secret gay agenda.”
Interestingly, Disney isn’t alone in this trend; other entertainment firms are also reducing their DEI-related language.
As previously reported, Paramount also rescinded its DEI policies following significant political changes earlier this year.
On another note, Disney is currently dealing with a discrimination lawsuit from a former executive who claims he was dismissed for adhering to “old-fashioned” views and because of his race.
