abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeblueskyburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfilterflaggenderglobeglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalitywebwhatsappxIcons / Social / YouTube

Esta página não está disponível em Português e está sendo exibida em English

O conteúdo também está disponível nos seguintes idiomas: English, 日本語, 简体中文, 繁體中文

KTC ICT circuit
Informativo

2025 KnowTheChain ICT benchmark

The information, communications and technology (ICT) sector is a major driver for the global economy. In Taiwan, the sector accounts for 15% of GDP, in India 13%, and in Malaysia 13.8%. Rapid advances in generative AI and 5G technology are set to reshape industries globally on a massive scale.

Vital components of all electronics systems, from smartphones to electric vehicles, are at the forefront of renewable energy technologies key to the energy transition. In short, the potential of the sector to contribute to just transitions across sectors (from tech to energy), built on respect for human rights and delivery of shared prosperity for business, investors and workers alike, is significant.

But where these business models rely on supply chains built on the labour of millions of workers at heightened risk of exploitation and forced labour, more is required of businesses – and their investors – to realise positive outcomes. The core findings of KnowTheChain’s 2025 ICT benchmark demonstrate that companies still have significant ground to cover.

We analysed the 45 largest global ICT companies. Key findings include:

  • The average ICT company scored just 20/100 on efforts to address supply chain forced labour
  • Only 3 companies scored above 50: Samsung (61/100), Hewlett Packard Enterprise (53/100) and Cisco (51/100)
  • Purchasing Practices and Enabling Workers’ Rights were the lowest-scoring themes of the 2025 benchmark, with average scores of just 5/100
  • All companies scored zero on their responses to addressing allegations of forced labour

Investors have a critical role to play in using their leverage to ensure portfolio companies in the ICT sector adopt a risk-based approach to human rights due diligence and prioritise rightsholder engagement in line with international standards and domestic regulation to ensure safer, more equitable supply chains for some of the world’s most vulnerable workers.

This briefing provides new insights for investors on how forced labour, and a failure of good governance within the sector, can create company, portfolio, and systemic level risks for investors concerned about long term value creation.

More resources

Deep dive: Supply chain traceability and transparency

With an average score of 33/100, ICT companies have a long way to go on supply chain traceability and transparency. This deep dive analyses key examples of company practice and recommendations to improve.

Deep dive: Purchasing practices

Purchasing practices was an area of critical weakness for ICT companies in the 2025 KnowTheChain benchmark, with an average score of just 5/100 and 84% of companies scoring zero. This deep dive explores how poor purchasing practices are driving systemic labour rights issues in the sector.

Explore the benchmark

Take a closer look at company scores and explore all our resources from KnowTheChain

Privacy information

Este site usa cookies e outras tecnologias de armazenamento na web. Você pode definir suas opções de privacidade abaixo. As alterações entrarão em vigor imediatamente.

Para obter mais informações sobre nosso uso de armazenamento na web, consulte nossa Política de Uso de Dados e de Cookies

Strictly necessary storage

ON
OFF

Necessary storage enables core site functionality. This site cannot function without it, so it can only be disabled by changing settings in your browser.

Cookies analíticos

ON
OFF

Quando você acessa nosso site, usamos o Google Analytics para coletar informações sobre sua visita. A aceitação deste cookie nos permitirá entender mais detalhes sobre sua viagem, e melhorar a forma como nós colocamos as informações na superfície. Todas as informações analíticas são anônimas e não as utilizamos para identificá-lo. O Google fornece uma opção de não inclusão no Google Analytics para todos os navegadores populares.

Cookies promocionais

ON
OFF

Compartilhamos notícias e atualizações sobre empresas e direitos humanos através de plataformas de terceiros, incluindo mídias sociais e mecanismos de busca. Estes cookies nos ajudam a entender o desempenho destas promoções.

Suas escolhas de privacidade para este site

Este site usa cookies e outras tecnologias de armazenamento da web para aprimorar sua experiência além da funcionalidade básica necessária.