SteelSeries
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 5 sources
Danish brand of gaming headsets, mice and keyboards.
There's no proof SteelSeries pays more than the legal minimum, which in China is below a living wage, and it has no full independent audit.
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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 in high-risk countries and untraced high-risk mined materials. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- 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: Made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
- Red flag: Relies on high-risk mined materials it can't traceShown to explain the grade. It isn't one of the 2 red flags that set it.
- 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
These are its parent group's countries across all its brands; SteelSeries doesn't say where its own products are made. 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 |
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Taiwan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
| Malaysia | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Thailand | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| 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.
- Modern slavery statement
- 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 SteelSeries does not publish its own supplier list or production countries. Its owner GN reports moving 12 gaming production lines out of China to Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan in 2025, without saying how much gaming production remains in China or giving shares. GN is an RBA Affiliate Member for its audio, video and gaming products and says it audits tier 1 and 2 suppliers yearly, but publishes no audit numbers or findings, and makes no living wage commitment. GN agreed in 2026 to sell its hearing business to Amplifon, leaving gaming and enterprise audio. Countries are named without shares.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Listed | GN Group publishes a modern slavery statement covering its businesses, including SteelSeries. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- GN - Corporate sustainability: Social · search the archive · RBA Affiliate Member for video, audio and gaming products; annual ESG audits of tier 1 and 2 suppliers; no audit figures or living wage.
- GN completes acquisition of SteelSeries (CGM) · search the archive · GN Store Nord completed its acquisition of SteelSeries in 2021.
- GN: guidance updated to reflect hearing business as discontinued operations (May 2026) · search the archive · GN agreed in March 2026 to sell its Hearing business to Amplifon; Gaming and Enterprise continue.
Published by SteelSeries or its owner
- GN Annual Report 2025 · search the archive · 12 Gaming production lines moved out of China to Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan; no remaining China share or country shares given.
- GN modern slavery statement · search the archive · GN Group publishes a modern slavery statement.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Denmark
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is SteelSeries ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/steelseries, 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 SteelSeries.