Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 4 sources
Former Japanese electronics name used on budget TVs and home appliances.
There's no proof Akai pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries and untraced high-risk mined materials. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsMost of its products are made in countries such as China and Malaysia, where unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
- Not met: Traces its cobalt, gold and other conflict minerals to the mine
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't traceShown to explain the grade. It isn't one of the 2 red flags that set it.
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From press and retailer reports; Akai doesn't say where its products are made. The rest is shown as where electronics are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| TaiwanUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| MalaysiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| South KoreaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: cobalt, tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold mining carry child and forced labour risk (DR Congo, Indonesia), and assembly overtime is widespread.
- Relies on metals such as cobalt, gold and tin from artisanal mines where miners, including children, face toxic dust, mercury exposure and deadly tunnel collapses. It hasn't shown any steps to trace these materials to the mine, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes Akai is a licensed brand name: Grande Holdings in Hong Kong has owned it since 2002, and Sydney-based Tempo (Aust) is the authorised Australian distributor of Akai TVs, radios, DVD players and home appliances, with stock reported to come from China. Neither the brand owner nor the distributor names factories, publishes a supplier list or modern slavery statement, describes supplier audits or makes a living wage commitment. China is the only country named, with no share given.
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- New Akai Home Appliance Range Set To Be Launched (ChannelNews, April 2020) · search the archive · Grande Holdings took over the Akai brand in 2002; Tempo distributes Akai in Australia; stock comes out of China; sold at Harvey Norman and Bunnings
- Akai relaunches in Oz (ChannelNews, July 2008) · search the archive · Akai has been sold in Australia through exclusive distributors (Audion from 2008)
- Akai 65 inch 4K Smart TV (Appliances Online) · search the archive · Akai TVs sold by an Australian retailer
Published by Akai or its owner
- Akai Australia (Tempo) · search the archive · Tempo (Aust) Pty Ltd is the authorised Akai distributor; TVs, radios, DVD players, appliances, air conditioning
Company details
- Headquarters
- Hong Kong
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Akai ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/akai, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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