Taiwan: Investigation into 4 manufacturing cos. linked to 21 buyers evidences recruitment fee charging & other labour abuses; incl. cos. comments
In February 2025, NGO Transparentem published a report on the recruitment experiences of migrant workers employed in Taiwan’s manufacturing sector. The report follows another investigation, “Following the Thread - Labor abuses in Taiwan's textile industry”, published earlier this month.
Taken together, these two reports provide compelling evidence of the pervasive risk of recruitment fees among migrant workers in Taiwan, and underscore the urgent responsibility of businesses and industry associations to deliver remedies to workers and contribute to transforming business rules and norms in Taiwan’s otherwise desirable manufacturing sectors.“The Price of Work: A Brief on Widespread Migrant Worker Recruitment Fees in Taiwan’s Manufacturing Sectors”, Transparentem
Transparentem interviewed 22 Vietnamese workers employed by four textile, electronics and appliance suppliers in Taiwan: Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning, Hantic Precision Technology, GFUN Industrial Corporation (part of Singtex Group), and Gianta.
The four suppliers were linked by Transparentem to 21 buyers with “possible” supply chain connections. Four of the possible buyers were not named in the report as their business relationships were considered less relevant. The remaining 17 buyers are: Hitachi, Johnson Controls, ASE Technology Holding, Bosch, Continental, Denso Group, Meiko Electronics, Panasonic, Helly Hansen, Hugo Boss, VF, Accton Technology, Amazon, Broadcom, Festool, Promise Technology, and Sony.
The investigation evidenced recruitment fee charging, in most cases leading workers to take out loans and thus putting them at risk of debt bondage. Other labour abuses were also found at Gianta, including passport confiscation, restricted freedom of movement, wage theft, intimidation, and unsuitable living conditions.
Transparentem sent all suppliers and possible buyers the investigation’s findings. All four manufacturers and “several” buyers decided to take action, “including planning for reimbursement of recruitment fees and related costs at all four manufacturers”.
Transparentem said Johnson Controls and Hitachi “reacted immediately”, and within three months their joint venture reported it had reimbursed all current worker, and later several former workers. Gianta, Accton technology, Amazon, Singtex, VF, Hugo Boss, Hantic, Meiko Electronics, Bosch and Denso Group responded to Transparentem. Hantic reported that it had implemented a zero-fee recruitment policy and that it planned to reimburse workers their fees from mid-2025. Singtex, VF, and Hugo Boss said reimbursement of recruitment fees was in progress in January 2025. Gianta said curfews had been removed, fines would no longer be implemented for mistakes at production lines, and accommodation would be renovated; Accton Technology also said Gianta had agreed to implement a zero-fee recruitment policy.
Broadcom, Promise Technologies, Festool, Sony, Helly Hansen, ASE, Continental and Panasonic did not respond to Transparentem.