Gorenje
Good. Shows the people who make its products are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources
Slovenian maker of fridges, ovens and laundry appliances.
Gorenje makes most of its fridges, ovens and laundry appliances in its own factories in Slovenia, Serbia and Czechia.
Also worth knowing
Those factories are SA8000 certified, with independent audits that include a living wage requirement.
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Compare Gorenje with another brand
Why it's graded Good
- Met: Meets all 6 Good requirements.
- Met: No red flags.
| Star | Awarded for | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pays above a living wage | Not earned | |
| Gives workers a real voice | Not earned | |
| Open supply chain | Not earned | |
| Finds and fixes problems, or invests in communities | Not earned |
3 stars for the first way it goes above and beyond, and one more for each further way, up to 6. About stars
Good requirements 6 of 6
- Met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: proven (SA8000)
- Met: Respects worker rights
- 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
- Met: High-risk raw materials (such as timber and cotton) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNone recorded in a major share of its range
Red flags 0
None found.
Where it's made
From Gorenje'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 homewares and appliances are usually made.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slovenia | Strong protections | Not rated | Moderate |
| Serbia | Systematic violations | Not rated | Moderate |
| Czechia | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Moderate |
| ChinaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| PolandUsual for the industry | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Moderate |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| MalaysiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- No high-risk raw materials (such as timber and cotton) are recorded in a major share of its range, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good.
- Owns or runs its own production
- Independent social audits of all its main factories
Research notes Gorenje makes its appliances mainly in its own factories in Velenje (Slovenia), Valjevo (Serbia) and Mora Moravia (Czech Republic), but gives no shares by country. In 2025 Gorenje, Mora Moravia and Gorenje Valjevo gained SA8000 social certification, which includes independent audits and a living wage requirement, and Hisense Europe began sustainability reviews of key suppliers. It publishes no supplier list or audit results, and Gorenje products in Australia are sold mainly online.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Unclear | Hisense Australia's modern slavery statement covers only Hisense Australia Pty Ltd and does not mention Gorenje; no separate Gorenje statement is identified. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Not rated in Baptist World Aid's Electronics Industry Report, which ended in 2016; parent Hisense was graded F in that 2016 edition. View |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- Workers at Gorenje's Valjevo fridge plant in Serbia held a one-day strike over pay, holiday bonuses and travel costs, with unions saying management was not following the collective agreement and labour law; Gorenje said it respects the law (RFE/RL, 2019). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Hisense building new factory in Serbia (Slovenia Times) · search the archive · Valjevo plants make Hisense, Gorenje and Asko fridges; over 1,600 staff at existing plant
- Gorenje workers strike in Valjevo (Radio Free Europe, 2019) · search the archive · 2019 one-day strike over pay and bonuses; unions said collective agreement and labour law not followed
- Gorenje (Appliances Online) · search the archive · Gorenje washers, dryers, ovens, cooktops, fridges and dishwashers sold online in Australia
Published by Gorenje or its owner
- Gorenje confirms high level of employee protection with international SA8000 certificate (Hisense Europe, 2025) · search the archive · Gorenje, Mora Moravia (Czech Republic) and Gorenje Valjevo (Serbia) obtained SA8000 certification; assessment covers labour rights at key suppliers
- Hisense Europe Sustainability Report 2024 · search the archive · First systematic supplier sustainability due diligence reviews; SA8000 certification
- Hisense Europe 2025 sustainability report (Hisense Europe, 2026) · search the archive · 2025 report: follows SA8000 for fair working conditions; Velenje production plant; improved supplier monitoring
- Hisense Australia Modern Slavery Statement 2023 · search the archive · Covers only Hisense Australia Pty Ltd; no mention of Gorenje or Asko
Company details
- Headquarters
- Slovenia
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Gorenje ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/gorenje, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Good 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 Gorenje.