Disney is updating its content disclaimers for several classic films, such as “Peter Pan” and “Dumbo.” This move aligns with a company’s broader strategy focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that comes in the wake of Donald Trump’s return to office.

As reported by Axios and confirmed by Variety, Disney is revising the warning that appears automatically before these films. The previous disclaimer mentioned that the movie “includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures.” The updated version states: “This program is presented as originally created and may contain stereotypes or negative portrayals.”

Disney first introduced content warnings for films like “Dumbo” in November 2019 due to the racist portrayals prevalent in many of its productions from the 1940s and 1950s. Previously, the warning indicated, “This program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions.”

In October 2020, Disney altered the message to a more comprehensive warning: “This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we wish to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it, and initiate conversations to create a more inclusive future together. Disney is committed to telling stories with inspirational themes that represent the rich diversity of human experience globally.”

However, the company has reverted to the earlier version of the warning used in 2019.

Sonia Coleman, Disney’s Chief Human Resources Officer, recently detailed adjustments to the company’s DEI strategies in a memo sent to leadership on Tuesday.

Coleman emphasized, “Creating a welcoming and respectful environment for our employees and guests is fundamental to our business and company culture. Our core values—integrity, creativity, collaboration, community, and inclusion—direct our actions and interactions.” She also provided insights on how these values are intertwined with their leadership compensation programs and ongoing enhancements to their talent strategy.

Read the complete note, which was shared with Variety, below.

Executive Leaders,

For more than a century, Disney has captivated and inspired families across the globe from diverse backgrounds. We strive to create entertainment that resonates with a worldwide audience, and having a workforce that mirrors our consumers enhances our business. With over 230,000 devoted employees and Cast Members in more than 40 countries, Disney believes that the diverse talents and experiences our staff provide benefit our company and enrich the experiences of our audiences and guests.

Fundamentally, fostering a welcoming and respectful atmosphere for our employees and guests is integral to our business practices. Our values—integrity, creativity, collaboration, community, and inclusion—steer our actions and interpersonal relations. Today, I’d like to share updates regarding how our values have been integrated into our leadership compensation strategies, particularly with our Other Performance Factors (OPFs), and showcase ongoing efforts to evolve our talent strategies in alignment with these principles.

Other Performance Factors (OPFs): Starting this fiscal year, we are introducing a new “Talent Strategy” component to our executive compensation framework. This will evaluate how leaders uphold our company values, embrace varied perspectives to bolster business success, foster an environment where all employees can thrive, and maintain a strong pipeline for long-term sustainability. This new aspect builds on essential elements from the former Diversity & Inclusion OPF and works in conjunction with our other performance factors, “Storytelling & Creativity” and “Synergy.”

As many are aware, we have spent the past year collaborating with stakeholders throughout the company to refine our strategic framework for advancing our commitment to being a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive organization. The resulting framework, released in December, aims to align our initiatives with our business objectives and company values, centered around four foundational pillars:

People: We seek and engage the most talented individuals globally, ensuring a barrier-free talent acquisition process for everyone.

Culture: We deliberately promote a culture where everyone feels they belong and can contribute to our business success.

Market Reach: We create memorable stories, experiences, and products that entertain and resonate worldwide.

Community: We learn from and support underrepresented communities by fostering impactful relationships with organizations and business partners.

As we crafted this new framework, we sought ways to enhance our initiatives and practices to improve our workplace environment for the sake of our business. While some of these changes may already be familiar, we’d like to outline key developments:

New Online Hub: In December, we launched our updated framework on our corporate Impact website and the Belong hub on MyDisneyToday, focusing on our core pillars and ongoing progress. This framework reflects our commitment to enhancing employee experiences, marking a progression from the prior Reimagine Tomorrow branding.

Employee Groups: Last year, we embarked on a journey to unify and streamline our global Belonging Employee Resource Groups (BERGs), rebranding the “B” in BERG from “Business” to “Belonging” to emphasize the role of our employee groups in strengthening our community and workplace experiences.

As this initiative continues to evolve, one aspect remains unchanged: our unwavering commitment to fostering a company culture where everyone belongs and can thrive, enabling us to deliver globally appealing entertainment that propels our business forward.

Warm regards,
Sonia