Seagate
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
Maker of hard drives and data storage.
There's no proof Seagate pays more than the legal minimum, which in Thailand and China is below a living wage.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Seagate? Send a right of reply.
Compare Seagate with another brand
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: the most serious problem on its record (forced labour, last recorded in 2018) has been put right.
- 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. Seagate 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 2 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rights58% of its products are made in countries such as Thailand and China, 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 it isn't fixingIts own checks found forced labour, which it is fixing. That's listed below and doesn't count against the grade. Forced labour was found in its supply chain in 2018, which it has since put right. That's listed below and no longer counts against the grade.
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
- 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: 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
From Seagate's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories. Its list covers only part of its range. The rest is shown as where electronics are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | 29% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| China | 15% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Malaysia | 14% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| United Kingdom | 14% | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Singapore | 14% | Strong protections | Not rated | Low |
| United States | 14% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | under 1% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| TaiwanUsual for the industry | under 1% | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| South KoreaUsual for the industry | under 1% | No guarantee of rights | Close to a living wage | Low |
| IndiaUsual for the industry | under 1% | 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.
- Owns or runs its own production
- 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 Seagate assembles drives mainly in its own factories in Thailand and China and makes components in Malaysia, Singapore, Northern Ireland and the US; shares are by its seven key operations sites (two in Thailand, one in each other country). It is a founding RBA member, audits suppliers through RBA validated audits and names Malaysian and Thai suppliers using migrant labour as its highest forced labour risk. It files a conflict minerals report with all 3TG smelters RMAP-conformant, but publishes no supplier list or living wage commitment. It scored 22/100 in the 2025 KnowTheChain ICT benchmark.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| KnowTheChain | Listed | Scored 22/100 in the 2025 KnowTheChain ICT benchmark. View |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | Seagate Technology (UK) publishes anti-slavery statements under the UK Modern Slavery Act. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Records 2019 NGO findings on recruitment fees at Cal-Comp in Thailand, with Seagate's response that it was working with the supplier. View |
Confirmed issues 2
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 | Seagate reported that migrant workers at some supplier facilities had paid high recruitment fees and reimbursed 518 workers in FY2025 (Seagate forced labour report, 2025). 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. | YesAbout US$394,800 was reimbursed to 518 workers in FY2025 under supplier remediation plans with the RBA. |
| 2018 | Electronics Watch and the Migrant Worker Rights Network found Myanmar migrants at Cal-Comp in Thailand, a supplier to Seagate, paid fees of 30-90 days' wages and had passports held (Electronics Watch, 2019). Source · search the archivePut right The company has put this right for the people affected, so it no longer counts against the grade. | YesSeagate said it worked with Cal-Comp; in 2019 Cal-Comp agreed to repay recruitment fees to at least 10,000 Myanmar workers. |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Electronics Watch statement on Cal-Comp · search the archive · Names Seagate as a Cal-Comp buyer; excessive recruitment fees and document retention 2016-2018; partial reimbursement
- Cal-Comp awards compensation for illegal recruitment fees (BHRRC, 2019) · search the archive · Cal-Comp to repay fees to at least 10,000 Myanmar workers (Reuters, Dec 2019)
- Seagate Technology company page (BHRRC) · search the archive · KnowTheChain ICT 2025 score 22/100
- Seagate Form 10-K FY2026 · search the archive · Manufacturing in China, Malaysia, Northern Ireland, Singapore, Thailand, US; some contract manufacturers; about 30,000 staff (July 2026)
- Portable HDD and SSD drives (JB Hi-Fi) · search the archive · Seagate drives sold by JB Hi-Fi in Australia
Published by Seagate or its owner
- Seagate Canada 2026 report on forced labour and child labour · search the archive · 54 supplier VAP audits; US$394,800 recruitment fees reimbursed to 518 workers in FY2025; Malaysia and Thailand highest risk
- Seagate FY2025 Sustainability Report · search the archive · Founding RBA member; seven key sites in CN, MY, SG, TH, UK, US incl. Korat, Teparuk, Wuxi, Springtown; 3TG smelters RMAP-conformant
Company details
- Headquarters
- Ireland
- Employees
- About 30,000
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Seagate ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/seagate, 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 Seagate.