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Disney Shareholders Reaffirm Commitment to LGBTQ+ Inclusivity, Reject Proposal to Exit Corporate Equality Index
At The Walt Disney Company’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, investors delivered a decisive message: inclusivity remains a core value. In a resounding 99% to 1% vote, shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a proposal calling for Disney to withdraw from the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index (CEI), reinforcing the company’s long-standing commitment to LGBTQ+ workplace equality.
Related: Bob Iger Highlights Technology’s Role in Disney’s Success at Annual Meeting
The CEI, published annually by the HRC, is a widely recognized benchmark that evaluates U.S. businesses on their LGBTQ+-inclusive policies and practices. Companies are scored across key areas such as inclusive benefits, workplace protections, and corporate social responsibility. Disney earned a perfect 100 on the 2025 index, reflecting top marks across all categories—including full points for both Inclusive Benefits and Corporate Social Responsibility.
The rejected shareholder proposal criticized the CEI as “partisan, divisive, and increasingly radical,” referring to it as a “social credit score” that pressures corporations into political activism. It also claimed that Disney’s alignment with the CEI contributed to recent declines in its stock value—a notion the Board did not support.
Disney’s Board of Directors formally recommended shareholders vote against the proposal, citing three key reasons:
- Transparency: Disney participates in external surveys like the CEI to provide visibility into its policies and practices—something that supports, rather than detracts from, shareholder value.
- Board Oversight: Matters of workforce equity, human rights, and ESG reporting are actively managed by the Board and its committees.
- No Added Value: The Board did not believe ceasing participation in the CEI would deliver any benefit to shareholders.
With 99% of shareholders siding with the Board, the vote sends a clear message: the Disney community supports transparency, diversity, and equality—and sees these principles as aligned with the company’s long-term success.
Related: Comcast Shares the Economic Impact of Epic Universe
Additional Highlights from the 2025 Annual Meeting
While the CEI vote drew attention, the meeting also included some exciting updates from CEO Bob Iger. Fans can look forward to:
- A potential new Disney+ series starring Figment, the beloved Epcot dragon.
- Coco 2 officially in development at Pixar, bringing a sequel to the beloved Día de los Muertos-inspired story.
- A first look at a scale model of the upcoming “Lion King” Pride Lands attraction, set to debut at Disneyland Paris.
In addition, all current members of Disney’s Board of Directors were re-elected with a 96% approval vote.
Disney’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders reaffirmed not only the company’s creative future, but also its unwavering commitment to inclusion—a core value that continues to resonate with its investors, employees, and fans alike.
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