Festina
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Spanish watch group selling Festina, Lotus, Jaguar, Candino and Kronaby watches.
Until Festina traces its gold and gemstones to the mine, it can't show that the miners who dig them are safe or fairly paid.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Festina? Send a right of reply.
Compare Festina with another brand
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 rightsSome of its products are made in China, India and Thailand, 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, partly 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
Festina says it makes products in Switzerland, Spain, France and Sweden. Press and retailer reports name China. 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 |
| Switzerland | Regular violations | About a living wage | Low |
| Spain | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| France | Regular violations | About a living wage | Low |
| Sweden | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| ThailandUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| ItalyUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to 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.
- Makes part of its range in its own factories
- 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 Festina Lotus says it has its own manufacturing facilities in Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and France (six sites, 438 production staff) and controls design, manufacturing and assembly; a 2012 report also named China as a production centre, with mass-market parts bought from outside suppliers. No shares by country or supplier names are published. A 2023 sustainability policy commits to respect human rights in the supply chain, but there is no supplier code, audit results, modern slavery statement or living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Watch brands are not assessed in Baptist World Aid's Ethical Fashion Report; Festina is not in the 2026 edition. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Unclear | No labour abuse allegations involving Festina Lotus or its suppliers were identified. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- El grupo Festina apuesta por los mercados internacionales con su marca Lotus (Modaes, 2012) · search the archive · 2012: production centres in Switzerland, Spain (Córdoba) and China; mass-market parts outsourced, group assembles.
- Festina Watches - The Clock Shop (Australia) · search the archive · Australian shop sells genuine Festina watches from the Australian importer, in store.
Published by Festina or its owner
- Festina Group in the World · search the archive · Own manufacturing facilities in Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and France; head office Madrid, logistics Barcelona.
- Festina Group - Production and Distribution · search the archive · Controls design, manufacturing and assembly; six manufacturing sites with 438 employees.
- Festina Group - The Group · search the archive · 2,000 employees; brands Festina, Lotus, Candino, Jaguar, Kronaby and Calypso; 5 million watches a year.
- Festina Lotus Sustainability Policy (2023) · search the archive · Board-approved May 2023 policy to respect human rights and workers' rights in the supply chain; no audit details.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Spain
- Employees
- About 2,000
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Festina ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/festina, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded watches
No watches brand selling new goods is Good yet. These are the strongest so far.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Festina.