ASRock
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 4 sources
Taipei maker of PC motherboards, graphics cards and mini PCs.
There's no proof ASRock pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
Better-graded laptops and computers
Graded higher than ASRock, selling the same kinds of things. Second-hand first.
No laptops and computers brand selling new goods is Good yet. This is the strongest so far. Second-hand and refurbished goods create no new factory work, so they're Good by rule and come first.
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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 India, 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
ASRock names some of the countries it makes in: China, India, Taiwan and Vietnam. 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 |
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Taiwan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| India | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| 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 |
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 ASRock outsources all production to outside manufacturers and does not name them or give shares by country. In 2025 it said manufacturing was in China and being moved to partners in Vietnam and Taiwan; Optiemus began building its boards in India in 2025 for the local market. Its 2024 sustainability report has a human rights policy and says its 3TG, cobalt and mica come from RBA-conformant smelters, but gives no audit results or smelter list. ASRock is not an RBA member; parent Pegatron's own factories have faced labour criticism, but no source links them to ASRock products.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Not rated by Baptist World Aid; the Electronics Industry Report ended in 2016 and did not include ASRock. View |
| KnowTheChain | Not covered | Not in the 2025 KnowTheChain ICT benchmark, which covers 45 of the largest electronics companies. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not covered | No Australian entity large enough to report under the Modern Slavery Act; no statement on the register. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- ASRock moves manufacturing out of China to counter US tariffs (Tom's Hardware, Feb 2025) · search the archive · Manufacturing in China, moving to manufacturers in Vietnam and Taiwan
- Taiwan's ASRock picks Optiemus to manufacture motherboards in India (Channel Drive, 2025) · search the archive · Optiemus builds ASRock desktop motherboards in India for the local market from April 2025
- ASRock B850M Pro RS Wi-Fi at Scorptec (OzBargain, 2026) · search the archive · ASRock motherboard sold by Scorptec with in-store pickup in VIC, NSW and QLD
Published by ASRock or its owner
- ASRock 2024 Sustainability Report · search the archive · All production outsourced to external manufacturers; owned by Pegatron since 2008; minerals checked against RBA conformant smelters
Company details
- Owned by
- Pegatron Corporation (Taiwan)
- Headquarters
- Taiwan
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is ASRock ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/asrock, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent ASRock.