NVIDIA
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
US chip company designing GeForce graphics cards.
NVIDIA scored 11/100 in the 2025 KnowTheChain benchmark, and we couldn't confirm where it makes most of its graphics cards and AI chips.
Also worth knowing
Most electronics are made in countries such as China and Vietnam, where pay is usually below a living wage.
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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, probably in high-risk countries and a failing or very low rating (KnowTheChain 11/100 in 2025). Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record: the most serious problem on its record (forced labour, last recorded in 2025) was found by its own checks and is being fixed.
- 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.
- Checks its own supply chain. NVIDIA looks for problems in its own supply chain and publishes what it finds. It found forced labour in 2025 and is fixing it, so it doesn't count against the grade. It's listed below under Confirmed issues.
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 rightsWhere electronics are usually made, such as China and Malaysia, 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 it isn't fixingIts own checks found forced labour, which it is fixing. That's listed below and doesn't count against the grade.
- 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: Probably made mostly 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 11/100 (2025)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
We couldn't confirm where NVIDIA makes most of its products, so this shows where electronics are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 55% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 15% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Taiwan | 10% | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Malaysia | 8% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| South Korea | 7% | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| India | 5% | 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.
- Publishes its mineral smelter list and uses independently audited smelters (RMAP) for tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold
- Modern slavery statement
- 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 NVIDIA owns no factories: TSMC and Samsung make its chips and Hon Hai (Foxconn), Wistron and Fabrinet assemble and test its products, with the supply chain mainly in Asia. It does not publish factory countries or shares, and GeForce cards sold in shops are mostly built by board partners. An RBA member since 2007, it reviews RBA audits of strategic suppliers but publishes no supplier list or audit results. It scored 11/100 in the 2025 KnowTheChain ICT benchmark and has no supply chain living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| KnowTheChain | Problem found | Scored 11/100 in the 2025 KnowTheChain ICT benchmark, down from 31/100 in 2020. View |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Publishes an annual forced labour statement under the UK Modern Slavery Act and Canada's supply chains act (latest for fiscal 2026). View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Lists a 2025 Rest of World report on Filipino workers in Taiwan's chip factories naming NVIDIA, which did not respond; KnowTheChain 2025 score 11/100. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not listed | Not rated in Baptist World Aid's Electronics Industry Report, which has had no edition since 2016. 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? |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | NVIDIA reported finding hiring fees, retention of workers' passports, excessive working hours and penalties for leaving early at some suppliers in fiscal 2024 and again in fiscal 2026 (NVIDIA Forced Labor Statement, 2026). Source · search the archiveFound and being fixed by the company Not counted against the grade while the company is actively fixing it, because it found and published it itself. | PartlyWorked with manufacturing partners to return hiring fees, let workers keep their passports, change working hours and end exit penalties. |
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.
- Filipino workers at Taiwanese semiconductor and server factories told Rest of World of shifts up to 16 hours, verbal abuse and deportation threats while making chips for brands including NVIDIA, which did not respond (BHRRC, 2025). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Taiwan: Filipino workers at semiconductor factories allege rights violations (BHRRC, 2025) · search the archive · Rest of World reported 16-hour shifts and deportation threats at factories making chips for NVIDIA and others; NVIDIA did not respond.
- US corporate human rights index: NVIDIA (BHRRC, August 2025) · search the archive · Suppliers monitored through RBA audits; no evidence of a supply chain living wage commitment.
- NVIDIA Form 10-K, fiscal 2026 · search the archive · Foundries TSMC and Samsung; assembly and test by Hon Hai, Wistron and Fabrinet; supply chain mainly in Asia; about 42,000 employees.
- NVIDIA Conflict Minerals Report 2024 (Form SD) · search the archive · Publishes smelter list; 211 of 246 facilities RMAP conformant; RBA member since 2007; cobalt and mica surveyed.
- Asus GeForce RTX 5070 Dual graphics card (JB Hi-Fi) · search the archive · GeForce RTX cards sold at JB Hi-Fi in Australia.
Published by NVIDIA or its owner
- NVIDIA 2026 Forced Labor, Human Trafficking and Child Labor Statement · search the archive · UK and Canadian statement for FY26; hiring fees, passport retention, hours and exit penalties found at suppliers; fees returned.
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Employees
- About 42,000
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is NVIDIA ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/nvidia, 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 NVIDIA.