Disney is the latest corporation to revisit its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives amid the Trump administration’s anti-DEI stances that have transformed the landscape of corporate America.
In a Tuesday memo first obtained by Axios, Disney’s chief human resources officer Sonia Coleman told employees the company would be shifting its DEI practices to refocus on business goals.
Such changes include adjusting content advisory disclaimers that Disney attached to films back in 2020. Classic films like “Peter Pan” and “Dumbo” will undergo these changes, according to Variety.
A disclaimer for older titles formerly stated the film “includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures.” In adherence to the DEI rollback, it will now be reworded: “This program is presented as originally created and may contain stereotypes or negative depictions.”
The media giant is also scrapping its Reimagine Tomorrow program that aimed to showcase stories and talent among underrepresented groups. Launched in 2021, the Reimagine Tomorrow website will now be rebranded as “MyDisneyToday,” USA Today reported. The site will pivot to how the company brings in qualified applicants, promotes a sense of belonging for everyone in the workplace and uplifts marginalized groups.
As for internal changes, Disney will no longer use the “Diversity & Inclusion” performance factor that assessed executive compensation. Instead, the “Talent Strategy” factor focus more on business outcomes.
But company changes may have been in the works prior to Trump’s entering the White House.
Disney CEO Bob Iger — who initially departed the company in 2020 but returned two years later — has insisted that the company revert to its original vision.
“Our primary mission needs to be to entertain, and then through our entertainment to continue to have a positive impact on the world,” Iger said at an annual shareholders meeting in 2023, according to Axios. “I’m very serious about that. It should not be agenda-driven, it should be entertainment-driven.”
Other major corporations to forgo former DEI initiatives include McDonald’s, Amazon and Walmart. Just recently, PBS shut down its DEI office and laid off two executives in response to Trump’s executive order.
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc.
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