Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 23 October 2026 · 4 sources
Indian brand selling earbuds, headphones, speakers and smartwatches.
boAt can't show that the workers who make its products in India and Vietnam earn a living wage, which workers there are very unlikely to.
Also worth knowing
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 India and China, 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
boAt says which countries it makes its products in, but doesn't name the factories.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 70% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| China | Not given | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | Not given | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
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 boAt designs its products but has them made by contract manufacturers; its co-founder said in 2023 that 70% of products were made in India, working with makers such as Dixon, and its 2025 IPO filing says a significant share of stock is still bought from China, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Much Indian production is assembly using imported components. It publishes no supplier list, supplier code results, factory audits, conflict minerals or smelter report, or modern slavery statement, so working conditions at its makers are not disclosed.
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- boAt expands in UAE, now available at Lulu Hypermarkets (Gulf News, 2026) · search the archive · UAE is boAt's key international market; no Australian sales mentioned
- Dixon, boAt form partnership to manufacture Bluetooth-enabled audio devices (Outlook Business, 2022) · Imagine Marketing (boAt) and Dixon Technologies formed a 50:50 JV to design and manufacture Bluetooth audio devices in India (Jan 2022).
- 70% Of boAt Products Are Now Made In India: Cofounder Aman Gupta (Inc42, 2023) · search the archive · 70% of boAt products made in India; works with manufacturers such as Dixon
- boAt IPO: Rs 1,500 crore offer, SEBI filing (MediaNama, 2025) · search the archive · DRHP: outsources much production to contract manufacturers; sources a significant portion of stock from China, Vietnam and Hong Kong; Califonix joint venture
Company details
- Owned by
- Imagine Marketing Ltd
- Headquarters
- India
- Last researched
- 23 October 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is boAt ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/boat, last researched 23 October 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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