Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
US audio brand selling Bluetooth speakers, headphones and soundbars.
There's no proof JBL pays more than the legal minimum, which in China 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 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, unaudited production in high-risk countries and untraced high-risk mined materials. 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.
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 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 confirmed child or forced labour findings or linksAn unconfirmed report of forced labour is listed below. It doesn't affect the grade.
- 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: Traces its cobalt, gold and other conflict minerals to the mine
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't traceShown to explain the grade. It isn't one of the 2 red flags that set it.
- 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
From product labels; JBL doesn't say where its products are made. 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 |
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| TaiwanUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| 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.
- Modern slavery statement
- Relies on metals such as cobalt, gold and tin from artisanal mines where miners, including children, face toxic dust, mercury exposure and deadly tunnel 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 Retailer listings show JBL headphones made in China and Flip speakers made in Vietnam; Harman does not disclose factories, production countries or shares. Harman has been a Responsible Business Alliance affiliate member since 2022 and requires suppliers to follow an RBA-based code, but its RBA-validated audits cover only its own automotive plants and it publishes no supplier list, supplier audit results or living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Harman publishes a statement on modern slavery and human trafficking (2021) covering its suppliers. 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.
- KnowTheChain recorded two unresolved allegations linking parent company Samsung Electronics' supply chain to Uyghur forced labour, not tied to JBL products (KnowTheChain, 2025). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- KnowTheChain 2025 ICT Benchmark scorecard: Samsung Electronics · search the archive · Two unresolved Uyghur forced labour allegations recorded for Samsung group
- HARMAN Statement on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking 2021 · search the archive · Over 30,000 staff; supplier audits prioritise self-assessed high-risk suppliers; no findings published
- JBL Tune 520BT headphones (Reliance Digital) · search the archive · Country of origin: China
- JBL Flip 6 speaker listing (eBay) · search the archive · Country of origin: Vietnam
- HARMAN Human Rights Statement (October 2025) · search the archive · Risk-based supplier screening, audits and corrective action; no living wage commitment
Published by JBL or its owner
- HARMAN 2025 Sustainability Report · search the archive · About 30,000 staff; RBA affiliate member since 2022; RBA VAP audits at automotive plants in Mexico and Hungary; no living wage commitment
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Employees
- About 30,000
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is JBL ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/jbl, 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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Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent JBL.