UPDATED: Yet Another Fraudulent Corporate DEI ‘Rollback;’ This Time It’s Disney

UPDATE FEB. 13, 2025 9:20 A.M. ET: Pro-DEI websites are affirming that whatever perceived reversals or rollbacks of DEI by corporations are merely changes in terminology, not practice. From Sustainability Magazine:

While Disney has removed mentions of certain DEI programs, it hasn’t abandoned its commitment to diversity entirely. The company’s latest filing still acknowledges more than 100 employee groups that represent diverse communities within its global workforce. Disney has also introduced a new initiative called “Heroes Work Here,” focused on recruiting, training and supporting US military veterans as part of its DEI strategy.

And from HR Grapevine:

Unlike more drastic DEI cuts at companies like Meta, Amazon, and Google, Disney’s says its adjustments are more nuanced. They focus on integrating DEI into leadership evaluations while changing the language to emphasize “belonging” rather than diversity or equity.

 

The statement contains so much corporate spin and double-speak that it is difficult to ascertain whether it has just altered some wording or is really backing away from diversity efforts under pressure from right-wing voices, that oppose efforts to ensure workplaces offer equitable opportunities to all.

 

One major change is the introduction of a “Talent Strategy” metric in executive compensation planning, replacing the previous Diversity & Inclusion performance factor.

 

The new metric evaluates how leaders uphold company values, integrate diverse perspectives, and maintain a robust talent pipeline. It is one of three “Other Performance Factors” (OPFs) now used to assess leadership, alongside “Storytelling & Creativity” and “Synergy.”

 

The memo, from HR chief Sonia Coleman is packed full of corporate jargon and says that the Talent Strategy metric “represents an evolution of important concepts” from the former DEI framework.

ORIGINAL POST: Every day seems to bring another U.S. corporation to the headlines due to their alleged “rollback” or “walkback” or “reversal” of their diversity, equity and inclusion policies — which include employee hiring and promotion procedures.

While we at NLPC recognize that there is certainly some mitigation in Corporate America of the appearance of DEI, thanks to a massive cultural shift that produced a political earthquake in the 2024 presidential election, the truth is the evidence points to a continuation of the same-ol’-same-ol’. Two examples we have pointed out are at Walmart and McDonald’s.

Now, the latest corporation to claim that it plans to back off of DEI is Disney, per Axios:

In a note to employees sent Tuesday morning, chief human resources officer Sonia Coleman outlined ways Disney’s DEI efforts will change.

• Other Performance Factors (OPFs): Beginning this fiscal year, Disney will replace the “Diversity & Inclusion” performance factor that it used to evaluate executive compensation with a new “Talent Strategy.” The new “Talent Strategy” factor includes concepts from its old “Diversity & Inclusion” factor, but is more focused on how values drive business success.

• New website and DEI rebranding: Disney is getting rid of its controversial Reimagine Tomorrow initiative, and the corresponding website, which was used to highlight stories and talent from underrepresented communities. The site, which came under fire from conservatives, was replaced externally in December by an updated hub on Disney’s corporate website, and also on Disney’s internal website.

• Employee Groups: The company has rebranded its “Business” Employee Resource Groups (BERGs) to “Belonging” Employee Resource Groups. The transformation, which began last year, is meant to highlight the focus on BERGs in strengthening the employee community and workplace experience.

Axios added that the company is also “removing the auto-play content advisory disclaimers that run before some older titles on Disney+, like ‘Dumbo’ and ‘Peter Pan,’ that warn viewers the film ‘includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures.'”

As with Walmart, McDonald’s and pretty much every other U.S. corporation that has claimed to back off of DEI, call us skeptical about Disney’s true intentions. Some reasons:

• Changing the employee resource group names to “belonging” (as Walmart did in its alleged switch from DEI) is merely a switch in terminology from the now-toxic DEI acronym, without changing policies
• The company still maintains an “inclusion” page which “foster(s) barrier-free talent processes for everyone”
• Continues its “Inclusive Storyteller Series” in which “the Disney Entertainment Television (DET) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion team…featur[es] vignettes of DET talent sharing their stories. This employee recognition program highlights the dedication of employees at all levels in driving, implementing and supporting diverse and inclusive initiatives while creating content that resonates with colleagues and audiences.”
• Continues its “Imaginar Producers Residency” which “increas[es] access for underrepresented groups to the entertainment industry,” which in conjunction with the National Association of Latino Independent Producers “support(s) independent Latin American producers to produce their slate of projects and accelerate(s) their career development.”
• Disney’s most recent Sustainability Report uses the term “diversity” 171 times — will that be replaced that many times with “belonging” in the next report?
• The Disney Careers website still emphasizes “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion”
• Only one day before its announced DEI adjustments, Disney advertised in the U.K. to hire a “senior recruiter,” whose responsibilities include: “uphold our Company commitments around Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion;” “Support Hiring Leader and Peers education around Inclusion within the workplace;” with the candidates promised employee “perks” that include “Employee Resource Groups – WOMEN @ Disney, Disney DIVERSITY, Disney PRIDE, ENABLED, and our Mental Health & Wellbeing Group, TRUST.”

As we’ve noted previously, companies are really not eager to ditch DEI, and many DEI experts and consultants interviewed recently are not concerned about the policies going away at all — that companies plan to just call it something else.

Which leaves us with just one final question for Disney: will this guy in a dress pictured below still be greeting little girls at the “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boutique” under the company’s standards of “belonging,” DEI … something else … or not at all?