The Walt Disney Company Reinforces Its Commitment to Use Its Broad Global Reach and Unique Platforms to Promote Social Responsibility

BURBANK, Calif., Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- At The Walt Disney Company, we strive to inspire a better world through the power of stories. Today, we released our 2021 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, which details our efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion through stories and storytellers who reflect the rich diversity of our world, support environmental sustainability by taking action to help protect our planet, and bring comfort, optimism, and joy to our communities through our charitable giving. We also highlight our commitment to investing in our employees and cast members, and to operating responsibly.

"Every company has a unique impact on the world. At Disney, creating stories and experiences that inspire and bring people together is ours. Our stories encourage children and adults to see the world in a positive light, to believe that anything is possible, and to take action to make their world a better place," said Jennifer Cohen, executive vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility, The Walt Disney Company. 

Here are some highlights from this year's Corporate Social Responsibility Report:

Promoting Greater Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Last year, we launched a company-wide initiative, Reimagine Tomorrow, that taps the Company's resources to advance opportunities for diverse communities, amplify underrepresented voices, and champion the importance of representation in media and entertainment. We continued to promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in our workplace and beyond in several ways, including implementing new content inclusion standards, launching a new talent acquisition initiative at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and directing more than $150 million of the Company's annual charitable giving to programs directly serving underrepresented communities. Our intention is to direct more than 50% of our annual charitable giving to programs supporting underrepresented communities, and to spend at least $1 billion with diverse suppliers by 2024. In September 2021, we also launched a digital destination at ReimagineTomorrow.Disney.com where employees, community partners, and fans can see the actions we have taken along with our expanded reporting of workplace and content diversity.

Protecting the Planet for Future Generations

Disney's commitment to environmental stewardship dates back to our founding nearly 100 years ago. We are committed to doing our part to protect the planet and create a positive environmental legacy for future generations as we operate and build our businesses.

Despite the continued impacts of COVID-19, this past year we began making progress towards our ambitious 2030 Environmental Goals focused on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, reducing waste, building more sustainably, and reducing the environmental impact of our consumer products. Among our notable accomplishments this past fiscal year, we announced we are teaming up with local utility providers to build two new solar facilities expected to come online near Walt Disney World in 2023, that—along with existing solar sources—will power up to 40% of the resort's annual electricity needs. We also installed solar arrays at Castaway Cay and Hong Kong Disneyland, diverted 60% of operational waste from landfills, and launched plastic-free packaging for a line of classic princess dolls. And we invested millions to support nonprofit organizations working across 30 countries through the Disney Conservation Fund.

Supporting Our Communities

One of the things we're most proud of at Disney is the difference we make in our communities. We bring comfort, optimism, and joy to people of all ages and inspire hope, especially among children, through our longstanding support of children's hospitals and wish granting organizations, and through the contributions of thousands of passionate Disney VoluntEARS around the world. Of note, in fiscal 2021 we delivered more than 400,000 Disney-themed toys, hospital gowns, and other items to over 500 children's hospitals, and installed Disney-themed experiences in five children's hospitals. We also supported local food banks worldwide through a combination of monetary and in-kind giving, including more than 320 tons of food to support communities impacted by COVID-19.

Simultaneous with releasing our CSR Report today, we also launched our new social responsibility website at impact.disney.com, where we will share stories and updates on our environmental, social, and governance work throughout the year.

We encourage you to read our 2021 CSR Report and view our new website to learn more about how Disney is using the stories we tell and the experiences we create to inspire audiences worldwide to join us in positively impacting people, communities, and our planet.

Contacts:

Laura Watson
Corporate Communications
(818) 560-3117
[email protected]

Bruce Lam
Corporate Communications
(818) 560-6420
[email protected]

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SOURCE Walt Disney Company