Marshall
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
British-Swedish audio brand selling headphones and speakers.
Until Marshall traces its cobalt, gold and tin to the mine, it can't show that the miners who dig them are safe or fairly paid.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It relies on high-risk mined materials it can't trace. That alone means a poor grade until it takes steps to trace them.
- 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 China, Thailand and Türkiye, 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 trace
- 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
Marshall says which countries it makes its products in, but doesn't name the factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| United Kingdom | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Thailand | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Türkiye | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Very high |
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
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.
- Makes part of its range in its own factories
- 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 Marshall headphones and speakers are made by contract manufacturers (ODMs) in China, Thailand, Vietnam and Turkey, and its amplifiers in its own factories in the UK and Vietnam; no country shares or supplier list are published. Marshall joined the RBA in 2024 and audits its ODMs against the RBA code, but publishes no audit findings, and only about 40% of ODM suppliers reached RBA Silver in 2025. It makes no living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Marshall Group AB and Marshall Amplification Plc publish a joint 2025 statement under the UK Modern Slavery Act. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Who Owns Marshall Speakers And Where Are They Made? (BGR) · search the archive · Many Marshall Bluetooth speakers and headphones are made in China; amps in England and Vietnam.
- Guitar amp maker Marshall acquired by China's HongShan (Music Business Worldwide, 2025) · search the archive · HongShan agreed to buy a majority stake valuing Marshall Group at 1.1 billion euros; family keeps over 20%.
Published by Marshall or its owner
- Marshall Modern Slavery Statement 2025 · search the archive · Manufacturing in China, Thailand, Vietnam and Turkey; RBA member; about 40% of ODM suppliers reached RBA Silver in 2025.
- Marshall Group Sustainability Statement 2025 · search the archive · HSG majority owner since 8 April 2025, family over 20%; own manufacturing sites in the UK and Vietnam (Dong Nai)
- Marshall Group Sustainability Report 2024 · search the archive · 7 active ODM sites; own sites in UK and Vietnam; joined RBA in 2024; 13 Marshall and 4 RBA audits; 794 employees; HQ Stockholm.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Sweden
- Employees
- About 794
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Marshall ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/marshall, 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 Marshall.