By Julija Menise, Standards and Certification Lead, Solar Stewardship Initiative

Over the past year, at the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), we have seen encouraging momentum. Across the solar value chain, SSI member manufacturers are embarking on a continuous improvement pathway towards responsible practices. We have now assessed around 123GW of solar module production capacity against the SSI ESG Standard. For context, the EU installed 65 GW of solar modules in 2025. This represents an important shift. The solar sector’s willingness to invest in greater transparency and embed responsible practices in their operations is growing.

Whilst there is still work to be done, the progress achieved so far is encouraging and provides a helpful basis for continued improvement and learning. Now more than ever, we can see the possibility for positive change when manufacturers, buyers, financial institutions, civil society, experts from the sector, and other stakeholders work together towards the same goal. And yet, as we build this stronger foundation brick by brick, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: we need to focus on systemic change across the sector, moving from the current practice of limited transparency and traceability of specific orders to increased transparency to ensure that all products and materials are being traced systematically.

A solar sector also changing from within

Alongside ESG progress at their sites, many SSI manufacturer members are making important internal operational changes to strengthen how they promote responsible sourcing and trace the materials along the supply chain all the way upstream. We are also beginning to see meaningful changes in how manufacturers manage responsibility upstream. More SSI members are introducing clearer contractual requirements for their suppliers, including explicit expectations for increased transparency and respect for human rights. Alongside this, manufacturers are putting correction plans and termination policies in place to guide how they respond when risks are found in their supply chains. Such practices create a more consistent approach to remediation, escalation, and, where necessary, disengagement. Finally, SSI manufacturer members are investing in strengthening internal systems to support traceability, including procedures and controls to verify material flows and check whether traceability information can be reliably collected and maintained for all tiers in the supply chain.

These shifts may not be visible to buyers or the wider public yet, but they represent genuine improvement in an industry where supply chains often stretch across continents. They also reflect a growing understanding that traceability plays an increasingly important role in the future of the sector.

This is why the SSI Traceability Standard currently focuses on assessing traceability system “readiness”. The priority is to ensure that sites have the practical capability to trace products and to understand where further improvement is needed alongside verifying the ESG and responsible sourcing practices of the sites. This practical approach allows the sector to progress step-by-step, building on the systems companies are putting in place. In a complex and global supply chain like solar, this structured approach is essential.

The missing piece: demand for traceable products

As the SSI deepens its work, we are gaining a better understanding of what enables progress and what still limits it.

A key insight is that demand for traceable products is not yet consistent across the solar sector. Many manufacturers tell me that they are very rarely asked to supply traceable products all the way upstream. That’s where the missing piece is. Suppliers upstream invest in transparency when downstream partners are requesting it. Credible ‘chain-of-custody’ models become possible only when enough actors consistently request traceability for the products they buy.

This apparent gap reflects the broader reality of a rapidly growing industry where cost, speed, and availability often dominate procurement decisions. We should remember that solar has gone from a fringe industry to a central piece of the electricity system in just a few years. Buyers and governments may not be familiar with the level of the detail and level of traceability they should be asking for or how to obtain reliable information. This disconnection highlights the scale of the change required: transforming a globalised solar supply chain requires actions from every part of the ecosystem.

Why the solar sector must act together

At the SSI, we are providing the framework, assurance, guidance and accountability that help companies move forward. We are strengthening buyers’ expectations, supporting improvement and preparing the sector for the next phase of traceability.

But we cannot fix systemic challenges alone.

Again, solar supply chains are vast and complex, involving numerous actors who all play essential roles: miners, processors, manufacturers, developers, financiers, governments, civil society, retailers, and end-consumers. Real transformation requires participation from all of them. If the goal is sector-wide transparency and traceable solar panels, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach.

A collective call to action

If you buy, finance, or install solar projects, you have influence. And you can use it. Ask for traceability in tenders, procurement policies, and investment rules. The SSI Buyers Guide which we launched in December 2025 is a great resource for buyers to put this into practice.

Every request strengthens the signal. Every requirement increases the incentive. Civil society, citizens and governments are rightly pushing for higher standards. The SSI is building frameworks and systems.  Some manufacturers have begun their internal work. Now we need the wider market to create clear demand signals for traceable products to ensure that responsible sourcing and traceability practices become the norm, not the exception.