Lacks transparency. Shows little about where or how its products are made.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
Maker of GorillaPod flexible tripods and phone mounts.
We couldn't find where JOBY makes most of its flexible tripods and phone mounts, a certification covering its range or a list of its suppliers.
Also worth knowing
Most electronics are made in countries such as China and Vietnam, where pay is usually below a living wage.
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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, probably 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 rightsWhere electronics are usually made, such as China and Malaysia, 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: 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: Probably 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
We couldn't confirm where JOBY makes most of its products, so this shows where electronics are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 55% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 15% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Taiwan | 10% | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Malaysia | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| South Korea | 7% | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| India | 5% | 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.
- 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 Videndum sold the JOBY brand to Shenzhen-based VIJIM Group in September 2025 and kept existing stock to sell off, so JOBY is no longer covered by Videndum's modern slavery statement. Under Videndum, JOBY products were made by third-party manufacturers managed from Hong Kong and China. VIJIM Group publishes no information on where JOBY products are now made, its suppliers, factory audits or wages, and no modern slavery statement.
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Vitec Group acquires JOBY and Lowepro (Amateur Photographer) · search the archive · Vitec (now Videndum) bought JOBY and Lowepro in 2017
- Videndum: Sale of JOBY brand to VIJIM (3 September 2025) · search the archive · Videndum sold the JOBY brand to VIJIM in September 2025; Videndum keeps existing inventory
- GorillaPod brand sold to a China-based photography accessory company · search the archive · VIJIM is linked to Ulanzi and based in Shenzhen; JOBY range includes GorillaPods, lights and microphones
- IFA Berlin exhibitor profile: JOBY · search the archive · JOBY belongs to VIJIM Group, headquartered in Shenzhen and founded in 2015, alongside Ulanzi and Falcam
- JOBY GorillaPod 3K stand at Ted's Cameras · search the archive · JOBY tripods sold by Ted's Cameras, which has stores across Australia
Company details
- Headquarters
- China
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is JOBY ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/joby, 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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