Supply Chain

Disney brings stories and characters to life through innovative and engaging physical products and digital experiences across hundreds of categories, from toys and t-shirts, to food, books and games. Responsible sourcing is an important focus of Disney’s overall corporate social responsibility efforts. We are committed to respecting human rights, reducing the environmental footprint of the supply chain, monitoring the safety and integrity of products, promoting supplier diversity, and working in collaboration with others to meet our objectives.

Overview

We sell products directly to consumers through our parks, stores, and online. We also license our characters and stories to third parties to produce and sell Disney-branded products, making Disney the largest consumer products licensor in the world.

Across these business models, Disney-branded products are produced in approximately 44,000 facilities in more than 100 countries across the globe. This manufacturing network and global footprint create a highly complex network of suppliers, many that are several degrees removed from our direct operations.

In addition, we purchase a vast array of products, materials, and services from thousands of suppliers to support our operations, such as theme parks and resorts; cruise and vacation experiences; film, television, streaming, and theatrical productions; and offices and distribution centers.

Learn More About Sourcing Priorities

International Labor Standards

The Disney International Labor Standards (ILS) Program oversees labor standards compliance across the vast supply chain for Disney-branded consumer products. The Program establishes requirements for licensees and vendors to monitor their supply chains for compliance with relevant labor law and the labor provisions of Disney’s Supply Chain Code of Conduct, specifies where products may be produced, provides for review of social compliance audit reports and the issuance of corrective action plans to promote improvement in working conditions, and facilitates supply chain labor-related training.

To promote company-wide integration, the ILS Program is monitored and reviewed at the highest levels of the company. The Audit Committee of The Walt Disney Company’s Board of Directors is responsible for the periodic review and oversight of the ILS Program and receives updates, on at least an annual basis, about the ILS Program’s performance.

Product Sustainability

To systematically address the environmental impacts we have across our product portfolio, we are focused on a set of materials that are consistently used in high volumes and across a number of different product categories in both our direct and licensed manufacturing, and/or are known to have significant environmental impacts associated with their production and use: forest products including paper, wood and palm; textiles; and plastics. We are working to reduce the environmental impacts of these materials while also increasing the sustainability of our manufacturing network as a whole. We are committed to working with suppliers that track their environmental impacts, with the aim of minimizing our environmental footprint everywhere that Disney-branded products are made.

 

Read our Paper Sourcing Policy

Learn more about our Environmental Goals

Product Safety

The safety of all products bearing the brands, characters, and other intellectual property of The Walt Disney Company is of crucial concern to us.

Our Product Integrity Program administers Disney’s policies, procedures, and operating requirements designed to help us achieve our safety objectives and commitments. Disney requires that all independent licensees and vendors engaged in the production of Disney-branded products contractually commit to comply with all applicable regulatory requirements and any additional requirements that may be specified by Disney. Disney also requires that licensees and vendors contractually commit to follow reasonable and proper procedures for verifying that Disney-branded products comply with all applicable regulatory requirements by conducting safety tests using accredited and independent testing facilities and following other procedures to confirm compliance with applicable requirements.

To promote compliance with these undertakings and to help ensure the safety of Disney-branded products, the Product Integrity Program engages in monitoring activities that include requiring designated licensees and vendors to submit product safety testing reports or other compliance documentation to Disney and subjecting Disney-branded products to periodic, risk-based auditing programs to confirm continuing compliance. Disney is committed to a continuous review of our product safety policies, procedures, and operating requirements to help ensure that our approach results in Disney-branded products that meet, or exceed, current regulatory requirements and any additional Disney requirements; follows developments in our complex global consumer products business; and reflects Disney’s commitment to product safety. Disney implements changes to the Product Integrity Program as appropriate and is committed to communicating our approach to all concerned parties.

Read our Chemicals Management Approach

Supplier Diversity

We believe that including diverse suppliers in our sourcing process provides a meaningful opportunity to seek innovative, high-quality, and cost-effective business solutions, while also supporting the communities where we do business by creating jobs and opportunities. We strive to ensure that our business leaders have a broad understanding of the business case and competitive advantages that a robust supplier diversity process provide the company. We invite you to be part of the magic!

Learn More About Supplier Diversity

Supply Chain Investment Program

Disney’s Supply Chain Investment Program (SCIP) provides grants to non-profit organizations, social enterprises, international organizations, and other qualified groups that advance solutions and collaboration to address issues such as forced labor, worker empowerment, traceability, gender equality, child labor, and ethical recruitment in global supply chains. SCIP funds programs which aim to:

  • Promote innovation to address root cause issues of poor conditions for supply chain workers
  • Incubate tools that enhance supply chain transparency
  • Support ethical sourcing in global supply chains
  • Increase worker standards and mechanisms for accountability

Supply Chain Investment Program Impact Highlights

40

Unique programs supported in 20+ countries

$24M

Contributed by Disney since 2012 through SCIP

250K

Workers directly benefited since 2012

To learn more about SCIP, including criteria for applying and submitting a project proposal for funding consideration, email CORP.SCIP@disney.com.

A few of our partners are highlighted here:

BSR HERproject

BSR’s HERproject™ is a collaborative initiative that strives to empower low-income women working in global supply chains.

Learn more

Better Work

Better Work–a collaboration between the United Nation’s International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations agency, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group–is a comprehensive programme bringing together all levels of the garment industry to improve working conditions and respect of labour rights for workers, and boost the competitiveness of apparel businesses.

Learn more

GoodWeave

GoodWeave–a nonprofit organization founded in 1994 by Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi–is the leading global institution working to stop child labor in global supply chains through a market-based holistic and authentic system.

Learn more
Read our Full List of Investment Programs

Collaboration

Disney values the input of external stakeholders and works with a variety of organizations to foster safe, inclusive, respectful, and sustainable supply chains. External stakeholders include non-governmental organizations, multi-stakeholder initiatives, labor unions, peer companies, inter-governmental organizations, governments, socially responsible investors, industry associations, and others. Some of our collaborations include:

Facilities List

View our List of Facilities

Related Policies & Documents