The Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) has adopted a new set of binding targets and reporting requirements for its manufacturer members, outlined within the updated SSI Principles, marking another step forward in strengthening transparency and accountability across solar supply chains.
The new targets, approved by the SSI Multi-stakeholder Board, set clear timelines for solar PV modules destined for the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, and the UK to come from manufacturing sites certified against both the SSI ESG and Supply Chain Traceability Standards:
- By 1 January 2027: At least 80% of solar modules must come from SSI-certified sites.
- By 1 January 2028: 100% of solar modules must come from SSI-certified sites.
These phased targets will ensure that, within three years, all solar PV modules supplied to the EEA, Switzerland and the UK by SSI members are produced under robust ESG and traceability assurance.
In addition, the Board approved new reporting requirements for modules manufacturers. From 1 April 2026, SSI members must inform the SSI Secretariat of:
- A list and location of all operational production sites,
- The annual production capacity of each site, and
- Planned dates and results of SSI ESG and Supply Chain Traceability assessments for each operational module site.
This information will enable the SSI to track and verify progress across global operations, reinforcing accountability to governments, investors, buyers, and civil society. The SSI plans to provide an anonymised aggregated report of the information received.
Rachel Owens, CEO of the SSI, (she/her) commented: “These commitments mark a major step forward for responsible solar supply chains, sending a clear signal that access to key markets will increasingly depend on meeting robust ESG and traceability standards. The targets will be reviewed and updated annually, with the potential to expand further upstream to additional sites and drive fully certified supply chain traceability. By setting clear, measurable goals and requiring transparent reporting across all manufacturing facilities, the SSI is accelerating progress toward full ESG and traceability assurance in solar. This work is critical to building trust with policymakers, investors, and consumers—and to ensuring that the energy transition is both fast and fair.”
The SSI membership now represents over 70% of global solar manufacturing capacity, with more than 85 GW of solar module capacity already certified against the SSI ESG Standard.