Disney insiders are commenting on changes at the Walt Disney Company due to Disney’s recent removal of the diversity, equity, and inclusion standards.
The company recently notified employees that Disney’s DEI efforts will change surrounding performance factors, website updates, employee groups, and streaming disclaimers. These changes have led some within the company to feel “uncertain.”
According to Deadline, several Walt Disney Company employees are feeling “uncertain” amid major changes within the company. Not only has Disney changed its DEI efforts, but it also quietly removed mentions of DEI during their latest Disney Investor Report.
These changes within the Disney Company come as President Trump ordered the end of DEI for the federal government and its contractors, leading several Fortune 500 Companies to soften or remove DEI language. These changes have led some to believe, “It’s like Chapek on steroids,” per Deadline. This is referencing the company and former Disney CEO, Bob Chapek, whose handling of Florida’s HB 1557 bill (informally known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill) sparked controversy in 2022.
The controversial handling and back-and-forth lawsuits between Florida Governor Ron Desantis and the company have long since passed, and Disney has since signed a $17 billion expansion plan for Florida, signaling Disney’s commitment to its Orlando theme parks. It’s been a few years since Disney was in the political conversations at large, but Deadline wrote that Disney Cast Members feel the company is now “pandering” to the current political climate.
Disney’s changes to its DEI initiatives have included changing to Other Performance Factors (OPIs), removing the Reimagine Tomorrow Initiative, and adjusting the naming of Employee Groups, which focused on strengthening the community and workplace experience for employees.
One insider shared with Deadline, “This is not what I expected from Bob — I thought he had our back,” referencing current CEO Bob Iger who returned to the position after Bob Chapek stepped away.
Disney is not the first company to make changes to its DEI program in the last month or so. The company follows companies like Walmart, Target, Amazon, Meta, Ford, and others, changing or ending their diversity programs altogether. According to Deadline, executives within the Disney company “will insist that whatever moves Disney has made” is significantly less compared to other major companies.
Disney has also been under fire with the changes to its Disability Access Service, better known as DAS, which has led to a class action lawsuit being filed against Disney. At the time of writing, Disney has not released an official comment on the DEI changes, DAS lawsuit, or Deadline article. Don’t forget to keep following AllEars for more Disney news.
Learn more about Disney’s recent DEI changes here.
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Wow so disappointing.. to get rid of something which mission statement was That we all belong, and then I guess we all don’t belong first started with disabled people basically creating a hostile an ugly environment for even the most disable people on this planet, like our veterans that have fought for this country, who have lost their limbs in combat, and there are no longer eligible for disability access service along with children that have seizures and lungs and capacities and they are dying and can’t get a pass anymore and now this this. I am so ashamed of Disney with you become it’s not a happy place that we went went to in the 70s only care about their profits. All they care about is the shareholders. This place is going to shit and sadly the first time and I think 40 years I’m letting my Pass go I used to have an annual pass and a magic key expires on March 2 and I’m not mad about it it’s time to move on to bigger and better companies like universal where they don’t treat disabled people like garbage where they’re not ending their DEI program where everybody is on, included and inclusive, and not discriminated against I’m looking forward to epic universe and that will be my go to part for now on
Sounds like they’re terrified that they might actually have to perform.
Heaven forbid people being judged on actual job performance