The Pokémon Company International has released a statement today with some fantastic news — the company is pledging a minimum of $25 million USD over the course of the next five years to organisations that support social equity and help to improve the lives of children across the world.
The company President, Kenji Okubo, had this to say in an official press release shared earlier today:
“The Pokémon Company International is grateful for the opportunity to give back to the communities in which it operates and where Pokémon has been so warmly received since it was first introduced...
Pokémon is a brand that immediately sparks joy and has captured the imaginations of kids around the world for 25 years. With its universal themes of adventure, friendship, and perseverance, it has also been welcomed into the lives of an incredibly diverse fanbase in countries around the world. We are dedicated to leveraging that unique ability and the support we’ve received from our broad community of Trainers to be a positive force in the lives of children and create a more equitable, inclusive world in which all can flourish.”
The money will be donated to a number of organisations that The Pokémon Company has already chosen, but it will also be giving out a "gift of play" to the groups that are able to distribute items such as Pokémon Trading Cards or Pokémon Center products.
And that's not all. The Pokémon Company has said that it may also add to the predetermined list that it has already sketched out, so more organisations will benefit from the donations.
You can find a full list of organisations that The Pokémon Company International will be supporting once the scheme has launched on its official website.
[source press.pokemon.com]
Comments 28
Awesome. I hope they hire talented Pokemaniacs keeping those same goals in mind.
25M is nice but nothing beats seeing one of the most popular kids brands that exists today with a bunch of skin tints and abilities. Game Freak seems to do well with this over the years.
Well that’s lovely. More can always be done and this money will do a lot of good.
I always love when Pokemon do stuff like this since it's always a wonderful thing to see from a company that makes as much money as they do (especially with how much they've been donating to causes such as this in the last few years), keep up the great work!
Nice. I may have given them a lot of flack in recent times for how they've been ruining their games (in my opinion, of course), but can only give them respect for this. Bless!
People thinking this is some great gesture, it’s all about paying less tax.
Addressing income equality by getting broke kids hooked on collecting trading cards.
@Thoughts Nah I think they'd have Sylveon and Penny say Trans Rights!
Heck I would love to see Penny in Scarlet/Violet have an Eevee that evolves into a Sylveon, and for it to be heavily implied that she is a trans girl.
[Kricketune chirping]
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Helping out disadvantaged kids? Always great. If The Pokemon Company benefits from the good publicity, who cares.
@Orokosaki are you sure? I know how charity and taxes work in the States - but I have no idea how it works abroad.
Sadly most of that money will go to the people who run those organizations. I always prefer putting money/food in the hands of the people who need it; I don't trust any of those "charities".
It's funny how equality turned into equity.
Can we put some of that money toward feeding Pikachu? The poor guy is looking skinnier and skinnier each time we see him!
Just a virtue signal, plus we all know “equity” is nu-speak meaning to make everyone poor and at level while the elites take all the spoils.
Don’t listen to corporations!
@Acein210 it’s part of their agenda
@Fizza literal NPC logic.
@Zangai tbf the Pokemon Company isn't behind it.
It's the fault of various governments' across the world that aren't taxing companies enough such that donations like these wouldn't be needed in the 1st place.
think it, dream it, do it
@Zangai You seem to have some interesting opinions.
That's 2 dollars for every copy of legends arceus!
@Inc yeah, and it's not like the publicity doesn't go both ways either. "My favorite brand is supporting less fortunate people? Mayve I should too"
Holy crap some of these comments. ☠️
TPC has always seemed a bit more bold than their parent company when it comes to putting their money where their mouth is. Yes this all qualifies for tax breaks, but that by no means indicates that corporations should just stop doing what they can when it comes to being responsible to the communities they serve.
Pokémon is a worldwide phenomenon that touches many young (and old) lives. Teaching kids to think before they speak and to have empathy before being reactionary and exclusionary is patently a good thing.
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How generous of them. With the revenue they make they could easily afford to donate more. This is pocket change to them.
@RubyCarbuncle Probably, but many issues can't be solved by one off donations no matter how big.
It kind of reminds me of the current issue of Foodbanks in the UK. Donating to a foodbank can help feed some in poverty. But the donation alone can't lift people out of poverty, and actually reduce the number of people who need them.
That's good of them.
@Dr_Lugae Every little bit helps, and no one expects to solve the world's big problems in one fell swoop.
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