Disney appears to walk back DEI policies in latest investor filing

Company made no mention of its ‘Reimagine Tomorrow’ program in SEC report filed in November

Disney appears to be rethinking some of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies, after subtly dropping one of its initiatives from a recent company investor report.

In an SEC report filed in November of last year, the Walt Disney Company did not mention its “Reimagine Tomorrow” program, which aims, among other things, to amplify “ underrepresented voices and untold stories.”

Disney shortened its DEI section in November’s filing, including just three initiatives and programs; an “executive incubator program,” an initiative aimed at U.S. military veterans, and employee-led groups.

“Our DEI objectives are to build and sustain teams that reflect the life experiences of our audiences, while employing and supporting a diverse array of voices in our creative and production teams,” the filing stated.

Disney appears to be walking back its DEI policies after pressure from investors, having omitted a previous initiative from a recent SEC filing (AP)

Fox Business reported that Reimagine Tomorrow was previously touted in Disney’s 2023 SEC reports.

The change comes as Donald Trump continues to wage war on DEI programs, including the signing of an executive order to end such initiatives in the federal government. Some companies, including Meta, have publicly announced an end to their own programs.

Disney came under fire from Tesla boss and head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musk, who accused the company of “mandatory, institutionalized racism and sexism” that was enforced by the “DEI Gestapo.”

The change comes as Donald Trump continues to wage war on DEI programs, with Disney itself coming under fire from Tesla boss Elon Musk (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

“No wonder most of their content produced over the past several years has sucked. Just trying to navigate the DEI minefield is going to crush the creative process!” Musk wrote on X.

Reimagine Tomorrow’s website, which was still online as of Monday 10 February, describes it as “our way of amplifying underrepresented voices and untold stories as well as championing the importance of accurate representation in media and entertainment.

“Because we are all greater than a single story and we all deserve to feel. seen, heard and understood.”

The program previously drew criticism in 2022 after hosting an "all-hands" meeting in which a Disney executive touted her "not at all secret gay agenda."

Reimagine Tomorrow’s website, which is still online at time of writing, describes it as ‘our way of amplifying underrepresented voices and untold stories’ (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

"In my little pocket of Proud Family Disney TVA, the showrunners were super welcoming… our leadership over there has been super welcoming to my not-at-all-secret gay agenda… they’re going hard,” executive producer for Disney Television Animation Latoya Raveneau said, in a leaked recording of the meeting.

“I don’t have to be afraid to have these two characters kiss in the background. I was just, wherever I could, adding queerness.”

The Independent has reached out to the Walt Disney Company for comment about the apparent dropping of the Reimagine Tomorrow program.