Garmin
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
Maker of GPS smartwatches, fitness trackers and navigation devices.
There's no proof Garmin pays more than the legal minimum, which in China and the United States 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 2 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It doesn't show that workers are paid a living wage, and isn't certified as working towards one. On Track needs at least one of these.
- 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 2 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 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
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
- Not met: Traces its cobalt, gold and other conflict minerals to the mine
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Made partly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Garmin's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories. Its list covers only part of its range. 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 |
| Taiwan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| United Kingdom | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Netherlands | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| Poland | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Moderate |
| United States | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| 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. (partly offset by certification or direct sourcing)
- Owns or runs its own production
- Modern slavery statement
- Uses high-risk raw materials such as tanned leather, mica or artisanal gold.
- It publishes its smelters or uses some recycled or responsibly mined metals, but can't yet trace its cobalt and gold to the mine.
Research notes Garmin made about 95% of the products it sold in 2025 in its own factories, mainly in Taiwan, with others in China, the US, the Netherlands, the UK and Poland; it gives no split by country. It employs migrant workers in Taiwan, and three of its Taiwan factories had RBA audits in 2025, but it does not check whether upstream suppliers are audited and publishes no supplier list or audit findings. It belongs to the Responsible Minerals Initiative but says nothing on cobalt, recruitment fees or living wages.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Garmin Australasia's 2025 statement says most products it sells are made by Garmin Corporation (Taiwan) or other Garmin subsidiaries; audits found no modern slavery. View |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Garmin (Europe) Limited publishes UK Modern Slavery Act statements. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Records Garmin reinstating a pregnant Vietnamese migrant worker in Taiwan after protests (2023). View |
| KnowTheChain | Not listed | Garmin is not among the 45 companies in KnowTheChain's 2025 ICT benchmark. View |
Confirmed issues 1
Only confirmed problems are listed, and old ones drop off after 10 to 15 years. A problem the company has fully put right no longer counts against it, and nor does one it finds and is fixing itself. How problems are counted
| Last recorded | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | A pregnant Vietnamese migrant worker at Garmin's Taiwan factory was put on leave and pressed to sign resignation papers, in breach of Taiwan's ban on pregnancy dismissals (Taiwan News and New Bloom, 2023). Source · search the archivePut right The company has put this right for the people affected, so it no longer counts against the grade. | YesReinstated the worker after protests by labour and human rights groups. |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Garmin Ltd Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 (SEC) · search the archive · About 23,000 employees; own manufacturing in Taiwan, US, Netherlands, UK, Poland and China; principal consumer factories in Taiwan
- Migrant worker says Garmin forced her to resign over pregnancy (Taiwan News, 2023) · search the archive · Pregnant migrant worker pressed to resign at Garmin in Taiwan
- Garmin reinstates pregnant migrant worker (New Bloom, 2023) · search the archive · Worker reinstated after public outcry
Published by Garmin or its owner
- Garmin Australasia Modern Slavery Statement 2025 · search the archive · Most products made by Garmin Corporation (Taiwan) or other subsidiaries; own sites in Taiwan, China, US, Poland and others
- Garmin SASB Index 2025 · search the archive · About 95% of products made in own facilities; three Taiwan factories had RBA audits in 2025; RMI member; upstream audits not verified
Company details
- Headquarters
- Switzerland
- Employees
- About 23,000
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Garmin ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/garmin, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded phones
No phones 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.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Garmin.