Labour Lens

Nothing

Lacks transparency

Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.

Electronics

Partly verified: what this means

Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources

London electronics company selling phones and earbuds.

There's no proof Nothing 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 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries. 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.

How grades are decided

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 India, 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 2

  • Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
  • Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights

Stars it would earn as Good

None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars

Where it's made

Nothing says it makes products in India. Product labels show China. The rest is shown as where electronics are usually made.

Where it's made, and conditions there
CountryWorker rightsLegal minimum wageForced labour risk
ChinaNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
IndiaNo guarantee of rightsWell below a living wageHigh
VietnamUsual for the industrySystematic violationsWell below a living wageModerate
TaiwanUsual for the industryStrong protectionsClose to a living wageLow
MalaysiaUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsBelow a living wageModerate
South KoreaUsual for the industryNo guarantee of rightsClose to a living wageLow

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)
  • Uses recycled metals or fibres
  • 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 Nothing phones are assembled in India: Phone (2) at a BYD facility in Tamil Nadu and Phone (3) in Chennai, and a Noida plant run by a joint venture with Optiemus Infracom (which also took over its former CMF sub-brand in 2025) is meant to be its global production hub. Retail listings show its earbuds made in China. No production shares, supplier list, modern slavery statement, social audit results or wage commitments are published. It reports recycled copper, steel, tin and plastic in its phones. No labour abuses tied to Nothing products have been reported.

Sources and actions

Sources 5

Show all 5 sources
  1. CMF-Optiemus JV to make India global hub (Business Standard, Sept 2025) · search the archive · Optiemus holds 65% of JV; Noida unit to make India a global production and export hub for Nothing and CMF products.
  2. Where Are Nothing Smartphones Actually Made? (BGR, Aug 2026) · search the archive · Most Nothing smartphone production is in India, including a Chennai factory for Phone (3); some early production was in China.
  3. Nothing to manufacture Phone (2) in India (YourStory, 2023) · search the archive · Phone (2) made at a BYD facility in Tamil Nadu; Phone (1) also made in India; 100% recycled copper, steel and tin in Phone (2)
  4. Nothing Partners Optiemus To Double Down On India Manufacturing (Inc42) · search the archive · Joint venture with Optiemus to make India the global production and export hub for Nothing and CMF products
  5. Nothing Ear (a) earbuds - Reliance Digital · search the archive · Country of origin of Nothing Ear (a) earbuds listed as China

Company details

Headquarters
United Kingdom
Last researched
3 November 2026
Cite this page
Labour Lens, "Is Nothing ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/nothing, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
Method
Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means

Better-graded phones

3 refurbished sellers, Good by ruleBuying second-hand or refurbished: Frank Mobile, Back Market and Reebelo · See them allGoodFairphoneMissing: living wage proof, worker rights protections and traced raw materials · ElectronicsModular, repairable smartphones and earbudsPays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.On TrackPartly verified

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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Something missing or wrong?

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