Tencent
Conglomerate
Tencent is mindbogglingly huge, being one the world's largest companies in each and all of the following areas: video games, technology, social media, venture capital and investment.

Overall

Owned CHN
Rating F
About the Ratings
Tencent Holdings Ltd
CHN
Naspers Ltd
owns 31% of Tencent Holdings Ltd
ZAF
Internet services
In one of the most successful venture capital investments of all time, Naspers bought a 46.5% stake in Chinese tech giant Tencent when it was still a start-up in 2001. That $32 million investment was worth $175 billion in 2018.

Company Assessment

(Last updated Jul 2024)
Tencent Holdings Ltd
Praise
CDP Climate Change score of B
In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change score of B.
Source: CDP (2023)
68/100 in TIME rankings
World's Most Sustainable Companies of 2024 by TIME and Statista recognises the Top 500 most sustainable companies in the world. From a selection of 5,000 of the world's largest companies, non-sustainable businesses were excluded, and the remaining companies were rated on Commitment & Ratings, Reporting & Transparency, and Environmental & Social Stewardship. This company received a total score of 68.4/100, ranking 130th overall.
Source: TIME (2024)
Criticism
25% in Big Tech Scorecard
Ranking Digital Rights (RDR) evaluates and ranks 14 of the world's most powerful digital platforms on their policies and practices affecting people's rights to freedom of expression and privacy. In RDR's 2022 Big Tech Scorecard, none of the digital platforms earned a passing grade. This company ranked last, with a total score of 25/100.
2.5/20 in Social Benchmark
The 2024 Social Benchmark assesses the world's 2,000 most influential companies on their responsibility in meeting society's fundamental expectations towards three measurement areas: respecting human rights, providing decent work, and acting ethically. This company was assessed in 2023 and received a score of 2.5/20. The average score was an alarmingly low 4.6/20 and the highest score was 15.5/20.
Selling counterfeit goods
WeChat appears on the Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy list, published by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The 2022 Notorious Markets List identifies 39 online markets and 33 physical markets that are reported to engage in or facilitate substantial trademark counterfeiting or copyright piracy.
Source: USTR (2022)
Addictive app design
Many apps are designed to be deliberately addictive, using psychological tricks that continuously grab your attention. The Center for Humane Technology partnered with Moment, an app that helps people track their screen time, to ask how much screen time in apps left people feeling happy, and how much time left them in regret. Apps were ranked with data collected from a pool of 200,000 iPhone users. This company's WeChat app ranked fourth in the Most Unhappy list, with 62% of users reporting they are "unhappy" with the app and how much time they spend on it, with daily usage averaging 97 minutes.
Information
F rating at ClickClean.org
Greenpeace's 2017 report 'Clicking Clean' looks at the energy footprints of large data centre operators and popular websites and applications, and calls on these companies to power their data centres on renewable energy. Companies are graded (A,B,C,D,F) on their commitment to and procurement of renewable energy, as well as energy efficiency, transparency and advocacy. This company's final grade was F. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
0.0% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017
This company received a score of 0/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
CSR claims
This company has Corporate Social Responsibility claims on its website including making environmental protection a priority, adopting sustainable investment strategies, commitment to environmental sustainability and philanthropy.
Tencent Charity Foundation
The Tencent Charity Foundation was founded in June 2007. It represents Tencent’s commitment to support charities through the donation of a portion of yearly profits.
BHRRC company profile
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre digital platform presents news and allegations relating to the human rights impact of over 20,000 companies. Their enhanced Company Dashboards also include financial information, key data points based on corporate policies, and scores from prominent civil society benchmarks. Follow the link and use the search function to view this company's dashboard.
OpenSecrets.org profile
OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
48/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 48/100 in the Interactive Media Services & Home Entertainment category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 21 Oct 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
31.3% in Digital Inclusion Benchmark
The 2023 Digital Inclusion Benchmark ranks 200 companies on their responsibility to advance a more inclusive digital society. The companies were assessed using four measurement areas: access, skills, use and innovation. This company ranked #103/200, with a total score of 31.3/100.
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Company Details

Type:
Public company
Founded:
1998
Revenue:
54.6 billion USD (2020)
Employees:
112,771 (2021)
Subsidiaries:
Riot Games Inc
Video games
Acquired by Chinese conglomerate Tencent in 2011.
Supercell Oy (51% owned)
Mobile games
Developer of mobile games including Clash of Clans and Clash Royale. Chinese technology conglomerate Tencent increased its stake in Supercell to 51.2% in 2019, making it majority owner.
Epic Games Inc (40% owned)
Video games
Founded in the USA in 1991 by Tim Sweeney, who still owns more than half of the company. Chinese conglomerate Tencent bought a 40% stake in 2012. Best known for developing Fortnite and the commercially available game engine Unreal Engine. Acquired Rocket League developer Psyonix in 2019. Disney, Sony and Lego all own minority stakes.
PDD Holdings Inc (15% owned)
E-commerce
Pinduoduo was founded in China in 2015 and grew quickly to become one of China’s largest online marketplaces. In 2023 the company rebranded to PDD Holdings, creating a parent company for Pinduoduo and Temu, its international e-commerce effort. Starting in September 2022, Temu has launched across North America, Europe and Australasia and is growing rapidly. Most of the products you see on Temu are directly shipped from Chinese suppliers and factories.

Contact Details

Address:
Shenzhen, China
Website:
www.tencent.com

Products / Brands

Tencent
Honor of Kings Mobile Games
WeChat Messaging
Riot Games
League of Legends Multiplayer Games
Valorant Multiplayer Games
Supercell (51% owned)
Boom Beach Mobile Games
Brawl Stars Mobile Games
Clash of Clans Mobile Games
Clash Royale Mobile Games
Hay Day Mobile Games
Epic Games (40% owned)
Fortnite Multiplayer Games
Rocket League Sports Games
PDD Holdings (15% owned)
Temu E-commerce