Disney
Risk Level:
Summary:
The Walt Disney Company has fired employees, including celebrities, according to political views. Disney also threatened to move business out of Georgia if the governor signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2016. The company also has used its corporate power and money to support ideological groups and policies, like the Equality Act and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Additionally, Disney weaponized its PAC against election objectors, ceasing all donations to anyone who voted not to certify the 2020 election. It has leveraged its vast resources to fight state policies as well, using its money, content, and networks to object to Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act. For these reasons, The Walt Disney Company receives a "High Risk" rating.
Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.
Lucasfilm, a Walt Disney Co. affiliate, publicly fired actress Gina Carano after she posted political opinions on Twitter (1)(2). Disney drew claims of corporate hypocrisy when it did not fire Carano’s fellow star in The Mandalorian, Pedro Pascal, when he compared Trump supporters to Nazis (3). In 2016, Disney threatened to stop filming media productions in Georgia over a proposed religious liberty bill (4). Georgia governor Nathan Deal vetoed the bill shortly thereafter (5). Disney received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Among other requirements, this means Disney has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (6).
Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.
Disney will not donate to religious groups “whose programs do not serve the broader public regardless of religious belief” but does not seem to discriminate against charitable, religious entities entirely unfairly (1).
Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.
Disney does not protect its employees from viewpoint discrimination (1).
Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.
Disney put into place mandatory critical race theory training for employees, including topics such as “anti-racism,” “systemic racism,” “white privilege,” and other terms (1). Disney advocated for the Equality Act and against religious freedom legislation in state legislatures (2) (3). Disney’s former CEO Bob Chapek caved to activist pressure and spoke out against the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools to kids in K-3rd grade. The company put forward a statement saying that “Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that.” (4)(5)
Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
In the past, the Disney Foundation has given small donations to the SPLC, but there is no record of continuing donations (1). Disney attempted to donate $5 million to the HRC in the aftermath of its delayed opposition to a Florida bill preventing teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools to young children in schools, but the HRC rebuffed the donation “until meaningful action is taken” against the bill (2)(3). Months later, the HRC accepted the same donation (4). Disney has pledged to fund its employees’ travel to get an abortion (5).
Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.
Disney has used corporate PAC donations to support the Equality PAC (1).
All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
January 3, 2023
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