Roland
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 30 October 2026 · 7 sources
Japanese maker of digital pianos, synthesisers, drums and amplifiers.
Until Roland traces its cobalt, gold and tin to the mine, it can't show that the miners who dig them are safe or fairly paid.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It relies on high-risk mined materials it can't trace. That alone means a poor grade until it takes steps to trace them.
- 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 rightsMost of its products are made in countries such as China and Malaysia, 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 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't trace
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Roland names some of the countries it makes in: Malaysia, China and Japan. 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 |
| Malaysia | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Japan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| TaiwanUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| South KoreaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | 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.
- Makes part of its range in its own factories
- Relies on metals such as cobalt, gold and tin from artisanal mines where miners, including children, face toxic dust, mercury exposure and deadly tunnel collapses. It hasn't shown any steps to trace these materials to the mine, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes Roland makes instruments in its own plants in Japan, China and Malaysia, where Roland Manufacturing Malaysia in Port Klang is its main factory, and also uses contract manufacturers it does not name. It says it is not aware of child or forced labour and plans to check contract manufacturers and wider suppliers, but publishes no supplier list, audit results, smelter list or production shares. Its Malaysian plant has a suggestion box open to dispatched workers, and its China plant holds talks with a labour union.
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Our Journey in Malaysia: Roland Manufacturing & MI Services (MIDA, 2020) · search the archive · Roland Manufacturing Malaysia in Port Klang, set up 2014, over 800 staff making keyboards, amplifiers, drums and DJ products
- Roland digital pianos - Piano World Australia · search the archive · Roland instruments sold in Australian music stores
Published by Roland or its owner
- Supply chain - Roland sustainability · search the archive · Domestic plants in Japan and plants in China and Malaysia; contract manufacturers; plans to verify absence of forced and child labour; grievance channels at Malaysian and Chinese plants
- Human rights policy - Roland · search the archive · Roland human rights policy
- Roland disclosure on Malaysian factory operations (July 2021) · search the archive · Malaysian factory described as the Roland Group's mainstay factory
- Roland Medium-Term Plan 2026-2028 · search the archive · Plans due diligence for 30 key suppliers and reorganisation of production
- Roland Australia - five year warranty on home digital pianos · search the archive · Roland operates an Australian site and warranty for local buyers
Company details
- Headquarters
- Japan
- Last researched
- 30 October 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Roland ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/roland, last researched 30 October 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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