Wilkhahn
On Track. Pays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 8 sources
Family-owned German maker of office chairs.
Wilkhahn makes about 50% of its office chairs and conference tables in its own factories in Germany and 50% in Australia, where labour laws are strong and legal wages are about a living wage.
Also worth knowing
It gives workers a real say through committees or agreements.
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Why it's graded On Track
- Not met: Meets 6 of 7 Good requirements.
- Met: No red flags.
Good requirements 6 of 7
- Met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: presumed because legal wages in Germany and Australia are about a living wage, not checked at the company
- Met: Respects worker rights
- Met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standardsPresumed from where it's made, not audited
- Not met: Shows where its earlier production stages happen, not just the final oneA "Made in" claim can cover only the final stage. Earlier stages to show: materials and parts such as fabric, timber, glass, metal and ceramics
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- 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
- Met: High-risk raw materials (timber) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeOnly in a few products: timber
Red flags 0
None found.
| Star | Awarded for |
|---|---|
| Gives workers a real voice |
Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
Wilkhahn makes its products in two countries, 50% in each.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 50% | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| Australia | 50% | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Uses timber in only a few products, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good. It doesn't show where its timber comes from. The "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
- Owns or runs its own production
- Actively empowers workers (ownership, worker committees, union agreements, training)
- "Made in Germany and Australia" only means the last major stage happened there: under customs and consumer law, materials and parts such as fabric, timber, glass, metal and ceramics can be made elsewhere. It hasn't shown where those earlier stages happen, so where it's made counts towards On Track but not Good. Source
Research notes Wilkhahn makes its furniture in its own plant in Bad Münder, Germany, and its own factory in New South Wales, which builds tables and most chairs sold in Australia and Asia-Pacific; shares are counted one per site. Over half of materials come from German suppliers and a third from Europe. A 2009 framework agreement with IG Metall and BWI covers its sites and requires suppliers to follow core labour standards. No supplier list, audits or wage data are published. Some tables use FSC-certified wood.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not listed | No Wilkhahn statement on the Australian Modern Slavery Register; only Kokuyo statements covering its Wilkhahn Japan joint venture appear. View |
| Baptist World Aid Ethical Fashion Report | Not covered | Furniture makers are not assessed in Baptist World Aid's Ethical Fashion Report (latest edition 2026). View |
Sources and actions
Sources 8
Show all 8 sources
- Wilkhahn international framework agreement (ILO database) · search the archive · 2009 agreement with works council, IG Metall and BWI covers sites, suppliers and licence partners
- Wilkhahn: Designed Globally, Produced Locally (Indesign, 2015) · search the archive · Sydney production: all tables and about 85% of chairs sold locally made in Australia
- Wilkhahn Wilkening + Hahne (LifeVERDE) · search the archive · Family business with over 250 staff; works council has seat and vote on advisory board; UN Global Compact
Published by Wilkhahn or its owner
- Eco-friendly production (Wilkhahn) · search the archive · Main production site in Bad Münder; over half of materials from German suppliers, a third from Europe
- Australian made furniture (Wilkhahn) · search the archive · Furniture made at its own facility in NSW; showrooms in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane
- Sustainability management (Wilkhahn) · search the archive · EMAS and ISO 14001 at Bad Münder; FSC chain-of-custody certification since 2013 for wood
- Wilkhahn: Company · search the archive · Founded as a chair factory in Eimbeckhausen; introduced profit-sharing for employees in the 1970s
- Wilkhahn: Corporate responsibility · search the archive · HQ Bad Muender; main production site and all European facilities ISO 9001 certified
Company details
- Headquarters
- Germany
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Wilkhahn ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/wilkhahn, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What On Track means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Wilkhahn.