Disney’s Global Belonging Week is all set for its debut next Monday, bringing employees together to celebrate their place within the organization. The event is scheduled to take place from October 20 to 24, providing employees with an opportunity to participate in discussions about the company culture and the ways in which their engagement and contributions add value to the organization. Conceptually, it’s a wonderful proposition, offering employees some time to reflect on the work that they do at the organization.
From an outsider perspective, however, Disney’s belongingness initiative shows us just how difficult it is to tailor an event around community and togetherness, without allowing any inflammatory DEI language to slip in. Disney’s corporate culture shift is one that has been echoed by businesses across the US, which are now toeing the line on inclusivity policies without allowing diversity jargon to make an appearance. While the task is no easy feat, it shows us the importance of building a culture of belongingness that allows unity to thrive.
Disney is ready to kickstart its Global Belonging Week, where inclusivity and togetherness continue to lead the way, despite the lack of DEI terminology. (Image: Pexels)
Disney’s Global Belonging Week Shows Us the Importance of Prioritizing Inclusivity in 2025
Here’s what a leaked email from Disney, seen by Business Insider, tells us about the Disney Global Belonging Week scheduled for next week. The event is expected to begin on October 20, 2025, and last until October 24. The week-long celebration includes a series of livestreams that employees can tune into voluntarily, which are “designed to empower and inspire” employees. The keynote event aims to “celebrate our rich culture, spark engagement, and empower each of us to do our best every day.”
Interestingly, Disney’s DEI changes come through when we consider that the itinerary and communication are clearly devoid of any language that hints at diversity, representation, or equity. Instead, an emphasis has been placed on belonging and inclusion, which are terms that remain acceptable today.
What’s the Reason for Disney’s DEI Change?
Disney’s corporate culture shift is not occurring in isolation, and neither is the omission of such language surprising. After the federal push to eliminate all DEI messaging, not just at the governmental level, but within private organizations as well, there have been calls to stop all DEI activity and reporting. Many businesses like Walmart and Ford have openly halted DEI-based activities, but many continue to cling to promoting inclusive policies.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also opened an investigation into the company’s DEI practices earlier this year for focusing on diversity “in a manner that does not comply” with government regulation. Other businesses like NBCUniversal and Comcast also saw similar investigations initiated.
Disney has always been renowned as an organization committed to diversity and inclusivity, and this was apparent when 99% of shareholders rejected a proposal to challenge the company’s participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index. Despite this, the company has also submitted to the pressure of the current culture and limited its mentions of diversity across its websites and strategies.
Belonging Week at Disney Shows Us How Businesses Are Reimagining DEI
Disney’s Global Belonging Week is tailored to cater to its employees and not designed as a public event for the masses, which gives the company more room to communicate on comfortable terms. Despite the push to adopt an anti-DEI stance, businesses remain aware that employees work best when they feel included and appreciated within the workplace. While talking about diversity and its value at work is now taboo, many are still doubling down on inclusion for all.
The general trends show that companies are moving away from DEI messaging but still retain some degree of inclusivity in their policies, centering company events around culture and community instead. While Gravity Research found that DEI language fell by 72% and the use of DEI by 98%, in 2025, there are signs that collaborative, unified workplaces are not a thing of the past.
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