Linksys
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
US maker of home Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems.
There's no proof Linksys 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 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: 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 press and retailer reports; Linksys 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 Linksys outsources manufacturing and names no factories; 2026 trade reporting says parts of its range rely on factories in China and Vietnam, with no split given. It links a Modern Slavery Act statement, but parent Fortinet says it does not routinely use third parties for independent or unannounced supply chain audits. No supplier list, audit results, RBA membership or living wage commitment is published, and no labour abuse findings have been reported.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Linksys links a Modern Slavery Act transparency statement from its website footer. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Unclear | Parent Fortinet's 2025 Australian modern slavery statement does not mention Linksys; no separate Linksys statement was found on the register. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre page for parent Fortinet records no labour allegations. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Not in Baptist World Aid's Electronics Industry Report, which ended with the 2016 edition. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Fortinet company page (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre) · search the archive · No labour allegations recorded for Fortinet
- Fortinet Modern Slavery Statement for 2025 (Australian register) · search the archive · Contract manufacturers in US, Taiwan, Germany and others; no routine independent or unannounced audits; Linksys not mentioned
- Who Owns Linksys? (BGR) · search the archive · Ownership history: Cisco, Belkin, Foxconn; Fortinet took full ownership in 2025
- The Router Lockout: FCC ban on foreign-made networking equipment (WebProNews, 2026) · search the archive · Parts of the Linksys range rely on factories in China and Vietnam; eero made partly in China
- Linksys Velop Micro Mesh (Harvey Norman) · search the archive · Linksys mesh Wi-Fi sold by Harvey Norman, which has stores across Australia
- Linksys (Wikipedia) · search the archive · Fortinet wholly owns Linksys since 31 January 2025; Foxconn Interconnect owned it 2018-2025; HQ Irvine, California
Published by Linksys or its owner
- Linksys website footer (Linksys Holdings) · search the archive · Links a Linksys Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement; no supply chain detail on page
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Linksys ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/linksys, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded laptops and computers
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.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Linksys.