Walt Disney Co. shareholders voted overwhelmingly on March 20 to continue participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index, which measures LGBTQ+ inclusion in corporate spaces. Only 1% of shareholders supported stepping back from the index, reaffirming Disney’s long-standing commitment to diversity.
A History of LGBTQ+ Support and Corporate Responsibility
Disney has received a high HRC score since 2007 and has long positioned itself as an LGBTQ+ friendly company, with events like Gay Days at Disney World dating back to 1991. However, its stance came under scrutiny in 2022, when the company was initially silent on Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Employees publicly criticized Disney, leading then-CEO Bob Chapek to acknowledge their concerns and engage with Governor Ron DeSantis.
Following this, Disney signed HRC’s Business Statement Opposing Anti-LGBTQ+ State Legislation, joining over 300 major employers, including Amazon, Apple, Nike, and Uber. Companies like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and Salesforce also signed the pledge, showing broad corporate opposition to restrictive laws affecting LGBTQ+ employees.
Pushback From Conservative Groups
The proposal to remove Disney from the HRC index came from the National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank. The Corporate Equality Index has been a frequent target of conservative activists, who view corporate DEI efforts as overreach. However, the overwhelming vote against the proposal shows that Disney’s commitment to inclusion remains strong, even amid anti-DEI trends in some corporate spaces.
LGBTQ+ Inclusion and Business Performance
Eric Bloem, VP of Corporate Citizenship at HRC, emphasized that inclusion efforts benefit companies financially and culturally. “Despite all the noise, commitments to inclusion pay figurative dividends and help their literal bottom line,” he said.
Disney’s decision to maintain its support for LGBTQ+ rights reflects a broader corporate trend where diversity and inclusion efforts remain a priority, despite political pushback. With shareholders continuing to back LGBTQ+ workplace equality, Disney signals that corporate social responsibility remains essential to its brand and business strategy.
