Citizen
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 2 sources
Tokyo watchmaker known for Eco-Drive solar watches.
Until Citizen traces its gold and gemstones to the mine, it can't show that the miners who dig them are safe or fairly paid.
Better-graded watches
Graded higher than Citizen, selling the same kinds of things.
No watches brand selling new goods is Good yet. These are the strongest so far.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It relies on high-risk mined materials it can't trace. That alone means a poor grade until it takes steps to trace them.
- 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 China, Thailand 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: Conflict-free: diamonds, gems and gold traced to the mine, lab-grown, recycled or Fairmined (the Kimberley Process alone isn't enough)
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 trace
- 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
Citizen names some of the countries it makes in: Japan, China and Thailand. The rest is shown as where jewellery and watches are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Thailand | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Japan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| ItalyUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| SwitzerlandUsual for the industry | Regular violations | About a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: gold and gemstone mining are linked to child labour, forced labour and mercury poisoning.
- Relies on gold and gemstones from artisanal mines where workers face mercury poisoning, silica dust and deadly 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 Citizen makes its watches and movements at group production bases in Japan, China and Thailand, but gives no shares by country. Since 2023 it has audited Chinese watch suppliers on working conditions with its own checklist (6 in FY2025, 17 suppliers across the group), and suppliers fill in a standard self-assessment questionnaire. Its 2025 risk review flagged conflict minerals and conditions at raw-material suppliers. It publishes no supplier list, independent audit results or living wage commitment. Its US arm joined the Responsible Jewellery Council in 2019, which does not cover the wider brand.
Sources and actions
Sources 2
Show all 2 sources
Published by Citizen or its owner
- Citizen Group - Sustainable procurement · search the archive · Production bases in Japan, China, Thailand; 17 supplier audits in FY2025; 6 Chinese watch supplier audits; US arm RJC member since 2019.
- Citizen Group - Respect for human rights · search the archive · Human rights due diligence since 2021; reviewers called assessment provisional; supplier hotline since 2023; overseas hotline planned.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Japan
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Citizen ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/citizen, 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 Citizen.