Officeworks
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Australian retailer of stationery, office furniture and tech.
There's no proof Officeworks pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 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, 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 2 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, Vietnam and India.
- 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: High-risk raw materials (timber) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNot traced or certified: timber
Red flags 1
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Officeworks names some of the countries it makes in: China, India, Cambodia and Vietnam. The rest is shown as where homewares and appliances 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 |
| India | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Cambodia | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| PolandUsual for the industry | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Moderate |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| MalaysiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Modern slavery statement
- Independent social audits of all its main factories
- Doesn't show where its timber comes from. Timber is linked to illegal logging linked to forced labour, so it can't be graded Good until it traces or certifies it.
Research notes Officeworks' own-brand products are made by independent factories; it names no production shares, and its sourcing countries (including China, Vietnam, India and Cambodia) cover all its suppliers. In FY2026 it reviewed 573 audits and found 83 reportable breaches at 37 factories (mainly protective equipment and unpaid overtime); 92.8% were remediated or in progress. It has no living wage commitment. Its wood fibre policy targets FSC-certified or recycled paper and wood, but no certified share is published.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Covered by Wesfarmers' FY2026 statement: Officeworks reviewed 573 audits, found 83 reportable breaches at 37 factories; 58 closed, 19 in progress, 5 closed when the supplier relationship ended. View |
| Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (World Benchmarking Alliance) | Listed | Parent company Wesfarmers scored 43.7 out of 100 on the World Benchmarking Alliance's 2026 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Not assessed in Baptist World Aid's Ethical Fashion Report (2024) or Electronics Industry Report, which do not cover office supply retailers. (2024 edition; latest is 2026) View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Kmart Australia – Good Shopping Guide (ethical.org.au) · search the archive · Wesfarmers scored 43.7/100 in the 2026 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark
Published by Officeworks or its owner
- Wesfarmers FY2026 Modern Slavery Statement · search the archive · Officeworks: 573 audits, 83 reportable breaches at 37 factories, 92.8% remediated or in progress; 176 stores, 7,600+ staff
- Responsible and ethical sourcing (Officeworks) · search the archive · Own-brand products from factories it works with directly, all independently audited within 24 months
- Officeworks - Ethical sourcing and human rights FY2024 (Wesfarmers) · search the archive · Own-brand factories must disclose sites and pass audits; 26,849 products mapped to manufacturing site
- Officeworks Sustainable Wood Fibre Sourcing Policy 2023 · search the archive · Paper and wood fibre products (timber use) to be FSC, verified or recycled by Dec 2025; no achieved share given
- Wesfarmers 2025 Modern Slavery Statement · search the archive · 2025: 708 Officeworks audits, 133 breaches; 9 sourcing countries incl. China, Vietnam, India, Cambodia
Company details
- Owned by
- Wesfarmers
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Employees
- About 7,600
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Officeworks ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/officeworks, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded furniture
None of the furniture brands we know to make furniture is Good yet. These are the strongest so far. Le Klint is Good, but we don't know that it makes furniture.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Officeworks.