Walt Disney CSR Programs

The Walt Disney Company is one of the largest companies to practice corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Disney was identified as a leader in CSR back in 2009 by the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship.

The Walt Disney Company is a global entertainment business operating in five areas, media networks (including broadcast TV networks, TV productions, domestic TV stations, radio networks); parks and experiences (including theme parks, resorts, and cruises, vacation clubs); studio entertainment (including motion picture production as well as distribution, music production, live entertainment events); direct-to-customer (DTC) (including a subscription for different video streaming programmes); and internationals (including international channels producing local programmes). Throughout all of its segments, it pays close attention to and recognises the importance of CSR programmes.

Disney CSR Programmes

Some of Disney's main CSR programmes include the following:

CSR programme for children in need

In 2018, Disney contributed $100 million to help a children's hospital. The company is dedicated to delivering comfort and motivation for severely ill children. Along with that, Disney offers grants to families who need emotional support during trying times.

Investing in the youth programme

Disney provides various opportunities for young generations of innovators and storytellers. Through various different programmes and investments, Disney funds and helps young people develop useful skills for their future careers. In 2019, Disney collaborated with innovative organizations, like Girls Who Code, which is a non-profit organisation that aims to close the gender gap in technology. Through its collaboration with Girls Who Code, The Walt Disney Company gave high school students the opportunity to learn about computer science and explore career opportunities in the tech industry.

Social influence and workforce programmes

Disney is committed to practising ethical distribution standards, fostering a safe and inclusive work environment, and engaging in charity and volunteering. In 2020, Disney donated $333 million to support different social programmes and to help fund non-profit organisations that offer opportunities to communities in need internationally.

In addition, since the beginning of the programme in 1983, Disney's cast members and employees have contributed over 12 million hours of community service via the Disney VoluntEARS programme. The programme includes a broad range of in-person and online volunteering for Disney employees.

Supply chain investment programme

The supply chain investment programme was launched in 2012. It offers financial and operational assistance to non-profit and social organisations. The programme includes working on innovative and effective projects that create long-term development in the workplace. Disney also takes initiative and provides substantial resources for organisations worldwide to reform their supply chain and tackle poor working conditions.

Disney CSR strategy

In 2018, Disney created a Direct-To-Customer division in the company. The division's goal was to successfully introduce Disney+ (Disney's streaming service) to the market. At the start of 2020, as a result of the pandemic, streaming services such as Disney+ became very popular. However, despite the success of their direct-to-consumer division, Disney wanted to make sure that it gave back to communities in need and contributed to society in a positive way during the pandemic.

The Covid-19 campaign

Coronavirus had a substantial and long-term effect on companies and communities globally. Whilst working persistently on promoting safety and well-being for its employees, the company also increased its assistance to local communities.

Disney also contributed around $27 million towards food and personal protective equipment, provided 150,000 rain ponchos to support and protect the clothing of nurses and donated $1 million to provide people with face masks. Moreover, around 100,000 N95 masks were given to healthcare workers in different cities in the USA. Disney also contributed to Project Mumbai by supplying 150,000 protective kits for healthcare workers in different hospitals in Mumbai.

Improving social equity

Disney is strongly dedicated to Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) and the various social movements of 2020 acted as particularly strong catalysts to bring about change in this area of the company. A company-wide campaign was introduced by CEO Bob Chapek in June 2020, to increase D&I in the company through six key pillars. These pillars are transparency, representation, accountability, community, content, and culture.

Disney is also dedicated to improving social justice. It donated around $5 million to non-profit organizations that provide support to minority groups in the USA.

Disney's content group is dedicated to practising inclusive and realistic storytelling throughout its brands, by increasing diversity in creative roles not just in front of but behind the camera as well.

Since 2009, Disney has worked on its longstanding vision to accomplish net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Recently, the company has achieved its 2020 target to lower its emissions by 50% in comparison to its 2012 emissions. The company announced its new aspirational goals which include achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for its operations by 2030.

In order to achieve these objectives, Disney will be focusing on:

• Using zero-carbon electricity by the year 2030

• Investing in natural solutions

• Generating minimal waste through its properties (like parks and resorts)

• Using recycled plastic in its products and packaging

Disney CSR Ranking

Disney is part of the "World's Most Admired Companies" according to Fortune's annual list. For 19 consecutive years, Disney has also been ranked fifth in media and entertainment globally.

As per Fortune, businesses are ranked not only on the basis of their success, however, also on how and where they have succeeded. Disney was recognized in a considerable number of areas including quality of products/services, global competitiveness, people management, innovation, corporate social responsibility, and its long-term investment value.

Importance of CSR for Disney

Generally, consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental and social impacts of the products, content, and experiences they consume. Hence, demanding more from companies. Consumers may believe that a brand like Disney should function in a moral, ethical, honourable, and responsible way. To address this, Disney uses the influence of the brand, its own content and technologies to create opportunities and influence the environment and society in a positive way.

Boosting employee engagement and retention is also considered a significant part of CSR. This is because employees like to work for organisations that have positive reputations and are in the media for the right reasons. When businesses are committed to improving welfare and working for communities through charitable programmes, they are expected to retain and engage their valuable employees.

In addition, another advantage of CSR programmes is that they may enhance a company's public image. Companies that show dedication towards different causes are identified as philanthropic in comparison to those that do not pursue CSR. As such, CSR projects attract more investors to Disney. Investors who invest money into a company assume that their funds are used efficiently to generate profit and to create positive change, and the CSR programs of Disney demonstrate this idea clearly.

Hence, Disney takes into consideration the demand and desires of its stakeholders and takes responsibility for the impact its products or services have on the environment, as well as society. The company continues to contribute to charitable programs, takes initiatives to improve social welfare and thus contributes to society in a positive way.

Source:

The Walt Disney Company, https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-releases-2020-corporate-social-responsibility-report/#:~:text=%E2%80%9COur%20commitment%20to%20corporate%20responsibility,President%20and%20Chief%20Financial%20Officer.

Research Gate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338388576_The_Important_of_CSR_for_Walt_Disney

Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/companies/DIS.N

The Walt Disney Company, https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/app/uploads/2020/02/CSR2019Report.pdf

The Walt Disney Company, https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-ranks-high-on-fortunes-2022-list-of-worlds-most-admired-companies/#:~:text=The%20Walt%20Disney%20Company%20has,ranked%20media%20and%20entertainment%20company.

Panmore, http://panmore.com/disney-stakeholders-corporate-social-responsibility-csr-strategy-analysis

The Walt Disney Company, https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/girls-who-code-experience-the-magic-at-disneys-third-summer-immersion-program/#:~:text=In%20partnership%20with%20Girls%20Who,explore%20different%20careers%20in%20technology.