Better Health for All

The Walt Disney Company's principal goods and services, primarily entertainment, have a neutral net health effect. However, the company demonstrates a strong commitment to mental health and well-being. It provides comprehensive mental health support and well-being centers for its employees.

Disney collaborates with Philips to integrate animated stories into pediatric MRI procedures, aiming to reduce fear and anxiety for young patients. The company has committed over $100 million since 2018 to enhance children's hospital experiences globally, reaching approximately 750 hospitals by 2023, offering mobile movie theaters, complimentary Disney+ access in over 17 countries, and character-themed hospital wear to provide comfort. Additionally, Disney Springs hosted a Health & Wellness event promoting physical and mental well-being among visitors. In 2023, Disney's total charitable contributions exceeded $235 million, with investments in programs serving underrepresented communities. The company also prioritizes employee health through preventative care and a value-based healthcare model for 77,000 employees in Orlando, which received awards in 2023. A 2021 partnership with AdventHealth established a major healthcare facility near its parks.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

The Walt Disney Company is primarily a media and entertainment conglomerate, not a financial institution. As such, most KPIs related to consumer financial products, services, and their direct outcomes are not applicable. The company does not offer lending or deposit services, consumer credit products, high-cost financial products, or financial literacy programs, nor does it operate financial service access points or manage customer finance data. While Disney engages in initiatives that foster economic opportunity, these cannot be quantitatively scored against the specific financial metrics of the rubric. For instance, Disney pledged 80 acres of land in Central Florida for a housing development, aiming to build over 1,000 affordable housing units.

It also contributed over $1 million to the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs to support Black entrepreneurs and was recognized for its commitment to supplier diversity, contracting with 2,500 Florida-based small businesses. These actions contribute to economic stability and business creation but are not measured as a share of a loan book, percentage of user outcomes from financial products, or percentage of pre-tax profit reinvested, as required by the respective KPIs.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

Disney settled a class-action lawsuit for $233 million in December 2024, addressing violations of a living wage law in Anaheim for over 50,000 current and former employees

. In November 2024, the company also agreed to a $43.3 million settlement in a lawsuit alleging female employees were paid less than male counterparts over eight years, affecting approximately 9,000 female employees . Disney plans to employ a labor economist to address pay equity issues . Separately, approximately 1,700 performers at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure filed a petition to form a labor union in April 2024, citing concerns over safety, erratic scheduling, injuries, and inadequate pay , though their base pay increased to $24.15 an hour in January . Around 32,000 hourly Disney World workers are set to receive a 37% pay increase by 2026 under a new labor deal , with wages starting at $16 per hour and escalating to $18 per hour by December 2023 . In February 2025, Disney revised its executive compensation program, removing a standalone diversity metric .

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

The provided articles do not contain specific, quantifiable data points for the defined KPIs under Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing. Information regarding the percentage of tier-1 spend covered by fair-trade certifications, average months between on-site supplier audits, the number of substantiated forced- or child-labour findings in the last three years, traceability coverage of suppliers, median days to close corrective-action plans, the percentage of supplier contracts including enforceable ethical-sourcing clauses, the share of spend on high-risk materials, or the percentage of procurement budget directed to indigenous, minority, or local community suppliers is not explicitly stated. While Disney has invested in initiatives to promote ethical labor practices

, supports supplier diversity programs , , and performs audits , , the articles do not provide the specific metrics required to score these KPIs against the rubric's quantitative thresholds.

Honest & Fair Business

Disney faces ongoing regulatory scrutiny and allegations. In March 2025, the FCC initiated an investigation into the company's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices.

In May 2024, Disney France faced a tax audit for 2020-2022 due to suspicions of tax evasion. Additionally, allegations of discriminatory hiring practices emerged in June 2024 , and in March 2022, an activist shareholder accused Disney of complicity in human rights violations in China. The company has not incurred ethics-related regulatory fines in the past three years. Regarding governance, 11 out of 12 members of Disney's Board of Directors are independent. Disney provides a confidential hotline for whistleblowers , though there is no evidence of independent investigation processes. As of September 30, 2023, executive officers attested to the effectiveness of financial disclosure controls , and a clawback policy is in place for executive compensation in cases of financial misreporting. Disney prohibits bribery, demands compliance with anti-bribery laws, requires record-keeping for gifts, and provides regular anti-corruption training.

Kind to Animals

The Disney Conservation Fund has directed over $125 million to wildlife protection since 1995.

In 2022, it granted funds to 43 nonprofits in 25 countries, aiming to protect more than 60 species. Initiatives include monitoring over 1.5 million sea turtle hatchlings and reintroducing 6,000 Atala butterflies into the wild. Disney also protects 8,000 acres of land within Walt Disney World Resort as a permanent conservation area. Disney's Animal Kingdom is dedicated to conservation and education, complying with AZA guidelines and holding AZA accreditation. Disneynature produces nature documentaries to educate about wildlife conservation, and a partnership with National Geographic reinforces commitments to ethical practices, including humane treatment of animals and prohibiting products from endangered species.

No War, No Weapons

The Walt Disney Company's core business is media and entertainment, with no evidence of revenue derived from arms or defense contracts. The company paused the release of theatrical films in Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine

, indicating a cessation of business in a sanctioned market rather than sales to an embargoed regime. No specific, quantifiable data points were provided for other KPIs related to dual-use technology, peacebuilding investment, divestment policies, or other defense-related activities.

Planet-Friendly Business

Disney has expanded its solar energy capacity, with over 200 megawatts across global operations

, including a 50+-megawatt solar facility to power two theme parks . Shanghai Disney Resort added 1.3 megawatts of solar panels , and Hong Kong Disneyland became the city's largest solar site . Disneyland Paris completed a solar canopy plant producing 36 GWh annually , equivalent to the energy consumption of a town of 17,400 people and reducing CO₂ emissions by approximately 890 tons per year . Geothermal energy at Disneyland Paris covers up to 18% of heating needs . In collaboration with Netflix, Disney launched the Clean Mobile Power Initiative to develop zero-emissions mobile power solutions , aiming to reduce approximately 700,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually by replacing diesel generators . Disneyland Paris also operates a wastewater treatment plant, reusing up to 3,500 m³ of wastewater per day for cleaning and irrigation , saving over 4 million m³ of potable water since 2013 .

Respect for Cultures & Communities

The company has faced criticism for three distinct cultural appropriation incidents. In 2023, its 'Haunted Mansion' film promotion featured burning white sage, which Native communities identified as appropriation

. In 2022, a racist chant occurred during a performance at Walt Disney World, prompting an apology from Disney and a commitment to implement preventative measures . Earlier, the 2003 trademark of the Swahili phrase 'Hakuna Matata' drew criticism for cultural appropriation . In a positive engagement, Disney signed a formal contract with Sámi leaders in 2019 for the film 'Frozen II,' ensuring respectful cultural representation, including a Sámi language version and contributions to Sámi society . Additionally, in 2022, Disney launched the 'Honoring Native Voices' initiative, collaborating with Indigenous artists and creators to foster cultural competency .

Safe & Smart Tech

The Walt Disney Company has faced significant challenges in data protection and regulatory compliance. Within the past three years, the company experienced two data breaches. In July 2024, over a terabyte of company data, including 44 million internal Slack messages, financial information, computer codes, and unreleased projects, was leaked

. This breach affected thousands of employees, with compromised data including passport numbers, visa details, and physical addresses , leading to a class action lawsuit alleging Disney did not do enough to prevent or notify victims . In February 2025, another cybersecurity breach occurred due to malware, leaking sensitive employee and customer data . The company also violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by unlawfully collecting personal data from children without parental consent . This resulted in $20 million in civil penalties and settlements with the DOJ and FTC . A federal court order now bars Disney from operating on YouTube in a manner that violates COPPA and requires the creation of a program to ensure future compliance . While Disney provides users with controls for data collection and cookie management , the COPPA violation highlights significant limitations in user data control, particularly for children's information. In contrast, Disney has established a robust AI ethics governance program . It embeds AI governance from the start as a system architecture layer , based on a principle-based framework that aims for fairness, freedom from bias, and transparency . The company exercises human oversight , evaluates potential adverse human rights impacts , and implements a central review process for new AI use cases . This process involves interdisciplinary subject matter experts in cybersecurity, human rights, intellectual property, law, privacy, and technology , who assist in developing mitigation plans for potential risks , all led by an interdisciplinary team of business executives .

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Aprons for Walt Disney World food and beverage teams are made from 100% recycled materials.

Costumes for 'Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind' use 70% recycled base fabric and 75% recycled metal buttons, while 'The Little Mermaid' stage costumes incorporate over 60% recycled plastic. The Mickey & Co. apparel line uses up to 50% recycled fiber, and TRON Lightcycle / Run costumes are crafted from recycled polyester. The company reduced plastic in guest rooms by 80% through refillable amenities and eliminated single-use plastic straws, stirrers, and polystyrene cups at all owned and operated locations. Disney Cruise Line eliminated nearly 1 million plastic merchandise bags annually. Circular design principles are integrated through the use of recycled and upcycled materials in products, including special edition merchandise created from cast member costumes and renovation materials. Disney Cruise Line aims to become plastic-free by 2025, and the company aims for zero waste to landfill for its parks. Other waste reduction initiatives include reducing plastic shopping bags and operating a wastewater treatment plant at Disneyland Paris.