The WEF is a corporate capture of global and democratic institutions, meaning that it uses its influence and access to shape policies and decisions that favor its members and partners, often at the expense of public interest and accountability

The WEF engages in institutional whitewashing, meaning that it presents itself as a neutral and benevolent platform for dialogue and cooperation, while ignoring or downplaying the negative impacts and responsibilities of its participants, especially on issues such as human rights, social justice, and environmental protection

The WEF imposes a public cost of security for its annual meeting in Davos, which requires a massive deployment of police and military forces, as well as restrictions on civil liberties and public protests. The Swiss government spends millions of francs every year to protect the WEF attendees, while the WEF itself enjoys a tax-exempt status as a foundation.

The WEF has unclear decision processes and membership criteria, meaning that it is not transparent about how it selects its participants, partners, and agenda-setters, nor how it reaches its conclusions and recommendations. The WEF also lacks financial transparency, meaning that it does not disclose its sources of funding or how it spends its money.
The WEF has a large environmental footprint for its annual meeting in Davos, which involves thousands of participants flying in private jets, staying in luxury hotels, and consuming large amounts of energy and resources. The WEF also promotes a growth-oriented and techno-optimistic vision of the world, which ignores the ecological limits and social costs of such a model.