Motorola
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
Lenovo-owned smartphone brand.
There's no proof Motorola pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage.
Better-graded phones
Graded higher than Motorola, selling the same kinds of things. Second-hand first.
No phones 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.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 3 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It doesn't show that workers are paid a living wage, and isn't certified as working towards one. On Track needs at least one of these.
- It isn't Harm on record: the most serious problem on its record (unpaid or underpaid wages, last recorded in 2013) is more than 5 years old.
- 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 3 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in China, India and Brazil.
- 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 linksUnconfirmed reports of forced and child labour are listed below. They don'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 listPublishes its supplier list
- Not met: Traces its cobalt, gold and other conflict minerals to the mine
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: A confirmed problem with pay, rights or safety not shown to be put right
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Its parent group's figures name China and Brazil. Press and retailer reports name India. 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 |
| India | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Brazil | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | 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 |
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. (partly offset by certification or direct sourcing)
- Publishes supplier list
- Modern slavery statement
- Independent social audits of all its main factories
- Uses high-risk raw materials such as tanned leather, mica or artisanal 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 Motorola phones are made in Lenovo-owned plants in China and Brazil and by contract manufacturers including Dixon in India, but production shares are not disclosed. Lenovo Group's modern slavery statement covers Motorola; the group publishes a list of manufacturing sites and suppliers, has been an RBA member since 2006 and requires third-party audits covering 95% of supplier spend. No Motorola-specific audit results or living wage commitment are published.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Covered by Lenovo Group's annual modern slavery statement under the Australian Act. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Listed | Motorola Mobility was graded B+ in Baptist World Aid's 2016 Electronics Industry Trends report; no current rating. View |
| News reporting and NGO investigations | Problem found | SACOM (2013) reported serious labour abuses at Biel Crystal, a glass supplier for Motorola phones. View |
| KnowTheChain | Not listed | Not in KnowTheChain's 2025 ICT benchmark; its 'Motorola' entry is Motorola Solutions, a separate radio equipment company. View |
Confirmed issues 1
Only confirmed problems are listed, and old ones drop off after 10 to 15 years. A problem the company has fully put right no longer counts against it, and nor does one it finds and is fixing itself. How problems are counted
| Last recorded | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | SACOM found workers at Biel Crystal in China, which made glass for Motorola phones, worked 11-hour shifts seven days a week and were denied compensation for serious injuries (SACOM, 2013). Source · search the archive | Not known |
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.
- The Australian Strategic Policy Institute linked Motorola's parent Lenovo to factories using Uyghur workers transferred from Xinjiang, including laptop supplier Hefei Bitland; the findings concern Lenovo products rather than Motorola phones (ASPI, 2020). Source
- Amnesty International traced cobalt mined in the DRC, including by children, to battery component makers whose records listed Motorola's parent Lenovo as a customer (Amnesty International, 2016). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Motorola Mobility (Shop Ethical!) · search the archive · Motorola Mobility graded B+ in Baptist World Aid's 2016 electronics guide
- Lenovo Modern Slavery Statement FY2024/25 (Australian register) · search the archive · Group statement covering Lenovo and Motorola; RBA audits of own facilities found no forced or child labour
- School laptops made with Uyghur forced labour (The Intercept, 2020) · search the archive · ASPI named Hefei Bitland, a Lenovo laptop supplier
- List of Lenovo manufacturing sites and suppliers · search the archive · Own manufacturing sites in China, Brazil, Mexico, India, Japan and US
- Motorola signs deal with Dixon subsidiary to make smartphones in India (Circuits Assembly) · search the archive · Dixon contracted to make Motorola smartphones in India
- Apple, Google, Samsung supplier Biel Crystal worker rights violations claimed (Computerworld, 2013) · search the archive · SACOM said Biel Crystal makes glass for Motorola phones; 11-hour shifts, 7-day weeks, uncompensated injuries
Published by Motorola or its owner
- Lenovo Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement FY2025/26 · search the archive · RBA member since 2006; biennial RBA audits of own sites and 95% of supplier spend; publishes site and supplier list
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Motorola ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/motorola, 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 Motorola.