Williams Sonoma
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 23 October 2026 · 6 sources
US kitchenware retailer selling cookware, tools, appliances and tableware.
Williams Sonoma can't show that the workers who make its products in Vietnam and India earn a living wage, which workers there are very unlikely to.
Better-graded cookware and tableware
Graded higher than Williams Sonoma, selling the same kinds of things.
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Compare Williams Sonoma with another brand
Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 3 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 3 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where its products are made: worker rights are poorly protected in China, Vietnam and India.
- 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
- Met: High-risk raw materials (such as timber and cotton) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeNone recorded in a major share of its range
Red flags 1
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
| Star | Awarded for |
|---|---|
| Finds and fixes problems, or invests in communities |
Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
These are Williams-Sonoma's countries across all its brands; Williams Sonoma doesn't say where its own products are made. The rest is shown as where homewares and appliances are usually made.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 29% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | 16% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | 14% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| United States | 14% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| Indonesia | Not given | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Cambodia | Not given | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| PolandUsual for the industry | 3% | Regular violations | Close to a living wage | Moderate |
| MalaysiaUsual for the industry | 2% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- No high-risk raw materials (such as timber and cotton) are recorded in a major share of its range, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good.
- Modern slavery statement
- Independent social audits of all its main factories
- Invests in worker and farming communities
Research notes Figures are for the parent, Williams-Sonoma, Inc., which also owns Pottery Barn and West Elm: in fiscal 2025, 19% of products were made in the US (mainly its own upholstery and lighting plants) and 81% abroad, led by China, Vietnam and India, across 53 countries. It publishes no factory list. Tier 1 factories in higher-risk countries get annual third-party audits, 49 factories are Fair Trade Certified and $14.7M in premiums has been paid since 2021, but most of the Williams Sonoma range is cookware and appliances from other brands and suppliers it does not name.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Listed | Profile lists no stories, allegations or response requests for Williams Sonoma. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Williams Sonoma company profile (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre) · search the archive · No stories or response requests listed
- Williams-Sonoma, Inc. Form 10-K, fiscal 2025 · search the archive · 19% of products made in the US; purchases about 19% China, 16% Vietnam, 15% India; own plants make upholstered furniture and lighting; about 19,800 employees; 13 stores in Australia
Published by Williams Sonoma or its owner
- Williams-Sonoma, Inc. 2025 Impact Report · search the archive · 53 sourcing countries incl. India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia; 49 Fair Trade Certified factories; $14.7M premiums since 2021; annual third-party audits in higher-risk countries
- Williams-Sonoma, Inc. Sustainability · search the archive · Annual semi-announced third-party audits with A to D social ratings; vendor code of conduct; no factory list
- Williams-Sonoma, Inc. Canada Forced Labour Statement 2026 · search the archive · Forced labour statement; vendors mainly in Asia and Europe; corrective action plans; ethics hotline open to factory workers
- Williams Sonoma Australia · search the archive · Australian stores in Bondi Junction and Essendon Outlet, plus online delivery
Company details
- Owned by
- Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
- Headquarters
- United States
- Employees
- About 19,800
- Last researched
- 23 October 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Williams Sonoma ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/williams-sonoma, last researched 23 October 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency 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 Williams Sonoma.