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Why Join the SSI?

Only solution tailored to solar

The SSI is the only global initiative specifically tailored to the solar industry. It address the unique sustainability challenges ensuring participants engage in targeted efforts to improve ESG performance and responsible production.

Comprehensive approach

The SSI is the only scheme that takes a comprehensive approach to sustainability, encompassing environmental, social and governance aspects as well as supply chain transparency.

Independent third-party verification

Compared to other schemes who are mostly based on self-assessments or second-party audits, the SSI is based on independent third-party verification, ensuring credibility with non-industry stakeholders as well as a fairer and more accurate assessment.

Multi-stakeholder collaboration

The SSI involves collaboration among various stakeholders as well as civil society and academia. This multi-stakeholder approach is recognised internationally as a key indicator of the credibility of a scheme and valued in upcoming legislation.

Supply chain transparency

The SSI places a strong emphasis on creating end-to-end supply chain transparency. This aspect is missing in some other schemes as it is relatively new but crucial to ensure ESG standards are upheld throughout the value chain.

Join us to develop the dedicated SSI Supply Chain Transparency Standard in 2023.

Leading industry expertise

The SSI is created by SolarPower Europe and Solar Energy UK with the technical support of TDi Sustainability. Together, they provide unrivalled and multidimensional expertise in solar, ESG auditing and product traceability, as well as EU legislation and politics, which ensures proactive alignment with EU legislation.

How to Join the SSI

How to Join the Solar Stewardship Initiative

Download the SSI Membership Application

Download the form now to join the SSI. You can email your application to [email protected] and a team member will follow up.

SSI Membership Benefits

PV Buyer

✔️ Membership claim

✔️ 3 Seats on the SSI Board

✔️ Access to SSI tools, guidelines and expert pool

✔️ SSI working groups access and influence on future SSI standards

✔️ Access to SSI Digital Platform (when available)

✔️ Membership Fee discount (if member of founding associations)

✔️ Possible developer certification standard (depending on budget raised)

Manufacturer

✔️ Membership claim

✔️ 3 Seats on the SSI Board

✔️ Possible site certification claim

✔️ Access to SSI tools, guidelines and expert pool

✔️ SSI working groups access and influence on future SSI standards

✔️ Access to SSI Digital Platform (when available)

✔️ Membership Fee discount (if member of founding associations)

✔️ Additional manufacturer fee discount (amount depending on no. of certified sites)

✔️ Additional manufacturer fee discount (amount depending on no. of certified sites)

Members looking to join the SSI must commit to the following core objectives:

Core Objectives of the SSI

1.   Ensure the energy transition is just, inclusive and respects human rights.

2.   Establish mechanisms to create supply-chain transparency, ensuring integrity in the global solar industry.

3.   Enable continuous improvement of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.

4.   Prepare the industry for relevant upcoming laws and regulations on ESG, transparency and responsible supply chains.

5.   Build the confidence of regulators, customers and business partners in the sustainability of the solar value chain.

The Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) is the first-ever supply chain sustainability assurance scheme dedicated to the needs of the solar PV sector and its customers. The Initiative establishes SSI Standards, bringing together international standards, industry and civil society expertise, and political acumen to deliver a supply chain sustainability solution tailored to the business of solar.

The SSI Standards are used by independent assessors to evaluate your company’s compliance with robust sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria. With this independent assessment, you can demonstrate your company’s commitment to producing and sourcing solar materials responsibly.

The first SSI Standard, published October 2023, is the SSI ESG Standard, which is used to assess the sustainability performance of companies at specific sites. 2024 will bring the SSI Supply Chain Traceability Standard, enabling deeper transparent sourcing and a responsible chain of custody.

The SSI Supply Chain Traceability Standard, and other future Standards, are developed in partnership with SSI members, supply chain sustainability experts and stakeholders from civil society, academia and other segments.

SSI membership is your chance to get involved in these sector-defining Standards from their very inception. Membership of the SSI will support your company’s preparation for upcoming legislation. Since its beginning, the SSI has also secured the endorsement of the global financial community, through the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group) and the European Investment Bank..

We welcome manufacturers, developers, installers, purchasers in the solar value chain to join the SSI as members, and other stakeholders to apply to the Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG). Together, we are working to realise our collective mission to foster responsible production, sourcing, and stewardship of materials.

Download the SSI Membership Application

Download the form now to join the SSI. You can email your application to [email protected] and a team member will follow up.