The Walt Disney Company is removing diversity as a factor in manager compensation, shifting its focus to how well leaders uphold company values and incorporate different perspectives instead.
Additionally, Disney is shutting down its Reimagine Tomorrow inclusion initiative, which had drawn criticism from conservative groups. America First Legal Foundation filed a civil rights complaint against Disney last year, arguing that the program’s hiring policies amounted to discrimination.
The policy change was announced in an internal memo from Chief Human Resources Officer Sonia Coleman on Tuesday.
Disney joins a growing list of major companies—McDonald’s, Amazon, and Walmart—that have scaled back DEI programs as conservative groups challenge their legality. President Donald Trump’s administration has also increased scrutiny of such policies.
“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.”
— Sonia Coleman, Chief Human Resources Officer
As part of this shift, Disney is renaming its employee resource groups to Belonging Employee Resource Groups to emphasize workplace culture rather than business strategy.
Disney is also adjusting content warnings on Disney+ films. Previously, a warning stated that a movie “includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures.” The new wording reads:
“This program is presented as originally created and may contain stereotypes or negative depictions.”
The changes reflect Disney’s broader effort to navigate ongoing political and cultural debates while maintaining its global appeal.
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