Press Releases

17 May 2023

Flagship Solar Supply Chain Sustainability Initiative Launches Public Consultation.

Wednesday 17th May 2023: Today, the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) has opened a process for interested organisations to provide feedback on its development.

The SSI was launched in October 2022, by SolarPower Europe and Solar Energy UK, with the goal of securing and demonstrating  responsibility, transparency, and sustainability across the solar value chain. The Initiative is working to establish mechanisms that gather and verify information on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of operators in the solar value supply chain. The central instrument is the SSI Code, which sets out the specific ESG criteria, which will be monitored by independent auditors.

The Initiative currently collaborates with over 60 organisations from across the solar industry and is supported by third-party sustainability experts and the international finance community. It is now calling on actors in the field of ESG, to submit their input to the draft SSI Code, and the further development of the SSI.

Have your say on the Solar Stewardship Initiative here.

Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe, commented,

“We are committed to building the Solar Stewardship Initiative on a foundation of transparency. This public consultation is the next natural step in taking the views of all interested groups across industry, civil society, and the ESG community.”

 

Chris Hewett, CEO of Solar Energy UK commented,

“The opening of this consultation marks a critical next stage for the SSI – transitioning from being piloted towards becoming a fully operational system, which will ensure that the European solar industry upholds the right standards, in the right way.”

 

Complementing ongoing exchanges with sustainability experts, the consultation further develops the ways in which interested parties can engage with the Initiative.

The SSI is being established as a multi-stakeholder initiative with representatives on its governing bodies from industry at different phases of the value chain, civil society, representatives of affected communities, and independent experts on ESG and standard-setting.

 

 

Editor Notes

The consultation is open until Wednesday, 12 July 2023.

Guidance on submitting comments to the consultation is available here.

The SSI will hold dedicated webinars to facilitate further feedback on the Initiative. The first webinar takes place on Wednesday, 24 May 2023 at 15.30 pm CEST, in English. Interested parties can register here.

 

 

4 October 2022

Solar Industry unites behind Supply Chain Sustainability Initiative

  • SolarPower Europe and Solar Energy UK launch the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), setting out the solar industry’s concrete plan to reinforce a responsible, transparent, and sustainable solar value chain.
 
  • Work on the SSI has been ongoing since February 2021, and is now publicly endorsed by over 50 solar companies, spanning the full value chain.
 
  • A core instrument of the Initiative is the SSI Code, a comprehensive corporate sustainability standard, which is set to be piloted at several sites in different countries in October 2022, and then open to public consultation in Spring 2023.
 
  • Following completion of the consultation and publication of the SSI Code, applications will be accepted for verification assessments; with the full roll-out of the SSI assurance scheme expected next year, in December 2023.
 

Tuesday, 4 October 2022: In the context of EU legislative proposals on corporate responsibility in supply chains, today the European solar industry has published its concrete plan towards a more responsible, transparent, and sustainable value chain. Following years of industry work on sustainability best practices, the Solar Stewardship Initiative sets out the solar sector’s next steps in ensuring transparency and responsible production across the growing value chain.

The Solar Stewardship Initiative, launched by SolarPower Europe and Solar Energy UK, is a solar-specific supply chain assurance scheme being designed to further develop confidence in how, where, and by whom, solar products are manufactured. This will mean businesses and consumers can trust that their solar products comply with international environmental, social and governance standards.

A new roadmap sets out the next steps of the Solar Stewardship Initiative, from the pilot stage in October 2022, through multi-stakeholder consultation, to the full roll-out of the SSI assurance scheme in December 2024.

The initial pilot stage in October 2022 will test the consultative SSI Code, which, when final, will be a comprehensive corporate sustainability standard. The consultative Code has been developed with the support of supply chain and experts across environmental, social, and governance disciplines, and is based on internationally recognised standards and guidelines.*

Building on a foundation of international standards and guidelines, the SSI will recognise existing credible and equivalent third-party standards systems in order to avoid redundancy, audit fatigue, and to promote the use of such programmes. SSI supporters have been implementing a range of sustainability standards and frameworks in their own value chains, several which are already being assessed for recognition by and alignment with the SSI Code.**

 

Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe, said;

“The solar sector must grow exponentially to fight climate change, and with growth comes responsibility. Today the solar sector is showing how seriously we take that responsibility. Cutting through a complex issue, we are presenting a clear timeline towards a solution that consumers can trust – an assurance scheme that their solar products are made under the highest human rights’ and sustainability standards.”

 

Chris Hewett, Solar Energy UK CEO, said,

“The solar sector is a vital part of the solution to the core challenges we face: climate change, the cost of living crisis, and ensuring our energy security. The sector must grow, and it must grow responsibly. The Solar Stewardship Initiative shows clearly how the industry takes its obligations seriously, and we are proud to support this work. The Solar Stewardship Initiative will deliver assurance which means that consumers can have confidence that the solar industry operates to the highest ethical standards.”

 

Over 50 solar companies, from across the solar value chain, have endorsed the work and goals of the Solar Stewardship Initiative via a joint statement.

 

The Solar Stewardship Initiative will be officially launched via online webinar on Tuesday, 4 October 2022 at 14:00 CET. Register here.

 

 

Editor Notes

*Internationally recognised frameworks and standards including, but not limited to;

**Existing third-party standards systems being assessed including, but not limited to;

Press contact: 

Bethany Meban, Senior Press and Communications Advisor

Email: [email protected]

Gareth Simkins, Senior Communications Adviser

Email: [email protected]