The British firm Dyson, a manufacturer of household appliances such as vacuum cleaners and hand dryers, is currently facing allegations from former employees of its Malaysian supplier, ATA IMS. They claim that Dyson has been unjustly enriched due to the unlawful, exploitative, and hazardous conditions present at the factory.

Additionally, it is claimed that ATA has instructed its staff to prepare for labor inspections in a manner that conceals the actual working and living conditions, as well as employed foreign workers without the necessary permits. An appeal hearing is set to take place in the United Kingdom in November 2024.

In October 2022, Dyson initiated legal action against Channel 4, alleging that a news report by the network contained defamatory claims regarding abuse. This report featured interviews with ATA workers who reported experiencing abusive conditions at the factory. By the end of October 2022, it was revealed that the High Court had dismissed Dyson’s libel claim against Channel 4. However, in July 2023, Dyson successfully appealed the dismissal of the libel claim. On 23 August 2024, however, Dyson abruptly discontinued the claim.

The damages claims against Dyson were presented at the High Court in July 2023, where Dyson contended that the case should be adjudicated in Malaysia, disputing the assertion that there is adequate connection to the UK for the case to be heard there. In October 2023, the English High Court decided not to assert jurisdiction over the matter. Nevertheless, the workers were granted the opportunity to appeal this decision, with the appeal hearing set for November 2024.