Harvey Norman

Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.

Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources

Sydney retail chain selling furniture, appliances and electronics.

We couldn't confirm where Harvey Norman makes most of its products.

Also worth knowing

Most homewares and appliances are made in countries such as China and Vietnam, where pay is usually below a living wage.

Better-graded furniture

Graded higher than Harvey Norman, selling the same kinds of things.

JardanMissing: where its earlier stages happen · Homewares, furniture & appliancesAustralian-made sofas and furniturePays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verified KoskelaMissing: where its earlier stages happen, a named supplier list and traced raw materials · Homewares, furniture & appliancesAustralian-made furniture and homewaresPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verified PlyroomMissing: where its earlier stages happen · Homewares, furniture & appliancesPlywood furniture and storagePays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verified

None of the furniture brands we know to make furniture or bedding and towels is Good yet. These are the strongest so far. Le Klint is Good, but we don't know that it makes furniture or bedding and towels.

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Why it's graded Lacks transparency

Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and unaudited production, probably in high-risk countries. 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.

How grades are decided

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 rightsWhere homewares and appliances are usually made, such as China and India, 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: High-risk raw materials (timber) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: timber

Red flags 2

Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
Red flag: Probably made mostly 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

Not confirmed

We couldn't confirm where Harvey Norman makes most of its products, so this shows where homewares and appliances are usually made.

Where it's made, share by country, and conditions there
Country	Share	Worker rights	Legal minimum wage	Forced labour risk
China	50%	No guarantee of rights	Below a living wage	Moderate
Vietnam	15%	Systematic violations	Well below a living wage	Moderate
India	10%	No guarantee of rights	Well below a living wage	High
Poland	10%	Regular violations	Close to a living wage	Moderate
Indonesia	8%	No guarantee of rights	Well below a living wage	Moderate
Malaysia	7%	No guarantee of rights	Below a living wage	Moderate

Evidence

What we found

Modern slavery statement
Doesn't show where its timber comes from. Timber is linked to illegal logging linked to forced labour, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.

Research notes Graded on the furniture and bedding Harvey Norman Holdings sources itself, not the third-party electronics and appliance brands it resells. Its 2025 modern slavery statement names no supplier countries, factories, audit results or high-risk materials, and says it cannot set policies for its independent Australian franchisees. It sells some Australian-made furniture and bedding but gives no share. No supplier list, timber certification or living wage commitment is published.

What independent sources say

Source	Result	Details
Australian Modern Slavery Register	Listed	Harvey Norman Holdings statement for July 2024 to June 2025 covers Harvey Norman, Domayne and Joyce Mayne but names no supplier countries, factories, audits or high-risk products. View
News reporting and NGO investigations	Listed	A 2022 Monash University review of ASX-listed companies' modern slavery statements gave Harvey Norman an E or F grade. View
Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report	Not covered	Baptist World Aid's reports cover fashion and electronics brands, not furniture retailers. View
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre	Unclear	No labour abuse allegations involving Harvey Norman's furniture or bedding suppliers were identified. View

Sources and actions

Sources 5

Show all 5 sources

It's disappointing: why retailers should do more to tackle modern slavery (Inside Retail) · search the archive · Monash University review gave Harvey Norman's statement an E or F grade (2022)
Green Left: Protests target Harvey Norman's chain of forest destruction · search the archive · Aug 2011: The Last Stand protests at four sites accuse Harvey Norman of selling wood products from native forest logging
Mongabay: Activists protest Australian forest destruction from top of the Sydney Opera House · search the archive · 2011: activists allege Harvey Norman wood products come largely from native forests; Harvey Norman says it supports sustainable harvesting

Published by Harvey Norman or its owner

Harvey Norman Holdings Modern Slavery Statement 2025 · search the archive · Signed Dec 2025, latest on register; covers Harvey Norman, Domayne, Joyce Mayne marks; no supplier countries, audits or cases; franchisees independent
Harvey Norman proudly supports Australian Made Week · search the archive · Sells some Australian-made furniture and bedding, including Silvertop Ash and Victorian Ash timber pieces; no share given

Company details

Owned by: Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN)
Headquarters: Australia
Last researched: 3 November 2026
Cite this page: Labour Lens, "Is Harvey Norman ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/harvey-norman, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
Method: Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means

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