The new Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) buyer guidelines focus on the risk of forced labor, supply chain transparency and compliance compliance when sourcing solar energy globally.
SSI has published its first Buyer’s Guidea 54-page document designed for companies, project developers, investors and public institutions to strengthen responsible purchasing in the solar energy sector.
The guide is composed of two parts. A public section provides practical recommendations for buyers, while a members-only appendix contains templates, checklists and sample contract clauses. Collaboration with SSI member companies led to the development of the document, which is designed to support preparation for emerging regulatory requirements, including due diligence obligations, forced labor bans and new transparency standards.
Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) operates as an industry-led program focused on sustainability across the PV supply chain. SolarPower Europe and Solar Energy UK launched the initiative in 2022 as a supply chain assurance system for the solar energy sector, aiming to strengthen confidence in manufacturing practices, factory conditions and product traceability. The framework is designed to align solar energy production with international environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.
The SSI Evaluation Framework assesses companies’ performance in the areas of governance, business ethics, environmental management and human and labor rights. Member companies must have two operational locations assessed against the ESG standard by an accredited certification body, such as TÜV Rheinland, within 12 months of joining, the initiative said.
The SSI registry currently lists 14 certified sites operated by photovoltaic module manufacturers Astronergy, Canadian Solar, DMEGC Solar, JA Solar, Jinko Solar, Risen Energy and Trina Solar, according to the initiative’s website. The ESG assessment process includes 96 criteria, including 23 criteria for governance and business ethics, 21 criteria for environmental performance and 52 criteria for human and labor rights.
This content is copyrighted and may not be reused. If you would like to collaborate with us and reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
