Kyocera
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
Japanese group known in Australia for printers and copiers.
Kyocera scored 6/100 in the 2025 KnowTheChain benchmark, and there's no proof it pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage.
Better-graded laptops and computers
Graded higher than Kyocera, selling the same kinds of things. Second-hand first.
No laptops and computers 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.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Kyocera? Send a right of reply.
Compare Kyocera with another brand
Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 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 a failing or very low rating (KnowTheChain 6/100 in 2025). 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 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 confirmed child or forced labour findings or linksAn unconfirmed report of forced labour is listed below. It doesn't affect the grade.
- 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 3
- 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
- Red flag: Failing or very low score on an independent rating: KnowTheChain 6/100 (2025)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Kyocera'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 |
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Japan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| 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
- Owns or runs its own production
- Publishes its mineral smelter list and uses independently audited smelters (RMAP) for tin, tantalum, tungsten and 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 Kyocera printers and copiers are made in the group's own factories in Japan, China (Shilong, Dongguan) and Vietnam (Hai Phong); no production shares or supplier list are published. The China and Vietnam plants passed RBA audits in 2023, and Platinum status was reported for the Vietnam and Dongguan plants in 2025. Kyocera scored 6/100 (41st of 45) in the 2025 KnowTheChain ICT benchmark, with zero for purchasing practices, worker voice, monitoring and remedy. It publishes 3TG and cobalt smelter lists, but only 66% of 3TG smelters are RMAP-conformant and there is no mine-level tracing. No living wage commitment is disclosed. Shares are not published.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| KnowTheChain | Problem found | Scored 6/100 and ranked 41st of 45 in the 2025 KnowTheChain ICT benchmark, up from 3/100 in 2022. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Kyocera Document Solutions Australia publishes modern slavery statements under the Australian Act (latest for FY2024-25). View |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Kyocera Document Solutions (U.K.) publishes statements under the UK Modern Slavery Act (latest 2024-25). View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Holds a Kyocera company page and the KnowTheChain record of one Uyghur forced labour allegation. 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 one allegation linking Kyocera's supply chain to Uyghur forced labour and noted Kyocera does not disclose steps taken to address it (KnowTheChain, 2025). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- KnowTheChain 2025 ICT Benchmark scorecard: Kyocera · search the archive · Scored 6/100, ranked 41 of 45; no first-tier supplier list; one Uyghur forced labour allegation recorded
- KnowTheChain 2022 ICT Benchmark scorecard: Kyocera · search the archive · Scored 3/100, ranked 55 of 60 in 2022
- Kyocera Shifting Some Copier/MFP Production to Vietnam to Avoid Tariffs (Wirth Consulting, 2019) · search the archive · Copiers and MFPs made at Shilong plant in China and plants in Vietnam (from 2012; third factory announced 2018)
- Kyocera ECOSYS MA2100cfx (Office National) · search the archive · Kyocera printers sold by Australian office supplies retailer Office National
Published by Kyocera or its owner
- Kyocera Document Solutions Australia Modern Slavery Report 2025 · search the archive · Parent KDC owns and runs factories in Japan, China and Vietnam; China and Vietnam plants RBA-audited 2023; KDC joined RBA Dec 2021
- Kyocera Document Solutions: Disclosure of the Conflict Minerals Due Diligence Process · search the archive · Lists 334 3TG smelters (221 RMAP-conformant) and 91 cobalt smelters for 2025; country-level origin only
- Kyocera Shiga Gamo Plant earns RBA Platinum status (Kyocera, 2023) · search the archive · Kyocera plant passed RBA Validated Assessment Program audit with Platinum status in 2023
Company details
- Headquarters
- Japan
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Kyocera ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/kyocera, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency 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 Kyocera.