Philips Hue
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
Signify's range of app-controlled smart bulbs.
We couldn't confirm where Philips Hue makes most of its smart lighting.
Also worth knowing
Most electronics are made in countries such as China and Vietnam, where pay is usually below a living wage.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Philips Hue? Send a right of reply.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 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 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 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: Probably made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
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 Philips Hue 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.
- Modern slavery statement
- Publishes its mineral smelter list and uses independently audited smelters (RMAP) for tin, tantalum, tungsten and 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 Signify runs its own lamp factories, including a large plant in Jiujiang, China through its Klite joint venture, and buys from over 3,000 suppliers, 73% of its supplier base in China, 10% in Mexico and 7% in Vietnam; it does not say where Hue products are made. It is an RBA member, audits high-risk suppliers yearly and publishes its conflict minerals reporting template, but reports no audit findings, cobalt tracing or living wage commitment.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Signify publishes a modern slavery statement under the UK Act; it reports no audit numbers or findings. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Unclear | Signify's statements name UK, Dutch and Canadian entities; no Australian entity is named. View |
| KnowTheChain | Not listed | Signify is not among the 45 companies in the 2025 KnowTheChain ICT benchmark. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Unclear | Not rated as Signify; Philips, which then owned the lighting business, was in the B tier of the 2016 Electronics Industry Report, the last edition (series ended). View |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Signify and Klite opening their largest factory to date (Buildings, 2023) · search the archive · Jiujiang, China plant of Signify's Klite joint venture; Signify has 9 other factories
- Electronics Industry Trends 2016 (Baptist World Aid) · search the archive · Last edition of the series; Amazon Kindle in D tier, non-responsive; Philips in B tier
- Philips Hue smart lighting (JB Hi-Fi) · search the archive · Hue sold at JB Hi-Fi stores in Australia
Published by Philips Hue or its owner
- Signify Forced and Child Labor Due Diligence Statement 2025-2026 · search the archive · RBA member; supplier base 73% China, 10% Mexico, 7% Vietnam; 18 own sites in high-risk countries; no audit counts
- Signify Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement 2026 · search the archive · RBA member; supplier declaration bans recruitment fees; no audit results disclosed
- Signify Supplier Sustainability Management · search the archive · Independent audits every three years, yearly for high-risk suppliers
- Signify Responsible Sourcing of Minerals · search the archive · Publishes CMRT (smelter list) for tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold; no cobalt or mica
Company details
- Headquarters
- Netherlands
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Philips Hue ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/philips-hue, 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 Philips Hue.