Supply Chain Sustainability
Supply chain sustainability is of ever-growing importance as the energy transition progresses.
Establishing sustainable and resilient supply chains is crucial to enable a just transition to clean energy. The industry must respond to consumers’ and regulators’ demand for increasingly sustainable products on the origin of materials and components. The Supply Chain Sustainability (SCS) Workstream covers European policy files related to supply chain sustainability including the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the Forced Labour Ban Regulation (FLB). The workstream also cooperates with the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), a solar-specific sustainability assurance programme which combines supply chain integrity with enhanced ESG performance.
The SCS Workstream amplifies and highlights its members’ sustainability efforts.
The SCS Workstream will align/ advise with SSI on the implementation of legislative files.
The SCS Workstream will help its members prepare for upcoming legislation and implementation responsible supply chains (e.g. Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and Forced Labour Product Ban).
Key goals of the Supply Chain Sustainability Workstream:
1. Advocacy work on supply chain related policies like Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the Forced Labour Ban Regulation
2. Knowledge sharing and best practice to develop traceability recommendation in close cooperation with SSI
3. Build sustainable solar supply chains
The SSI is currently the only solution that brings together the whole solar industry in Europe to ensure the energy transition is just, inclusive and respects human rights.
The SCS Workstream amplifies and highlights its members’ sustainability efforts.
The SSI has the potential to become the sustainability standard for the solar sector. Members of the SCS Workstream can contribute to its development from an early stage.
The SCS Workstream will help its members prepare for upcoming legislation on responsible supply chains (e.g. Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and Forced Labour Product Ban)
The Supply Chain Sustainability workstream
Join the Supply Chain Sustainability workstream
The Supply Chain Sustainability Workstream brings together expertise from the whole industry to define a common approach to sustainability and supply chain transparency.
Its main aim is to coordinate and develop the implementation of the CSDDD and FLB while sharing best practices on supply chain transparency.
The SCS Workstream works in close collaboration with the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) to align on best practices and coordinate advocacy efforts on the two mentioned legislations and their implementation while developing a sustainable and transparent environment for the solar supply chains.
Our major accomplishments
Supply Chain Sustainability accomplishments
- Since its launch in July 2021, the SCT Workstream has been working intensively on developing the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) which was launched on 4 October 2022. The project aims to enhance transparency and sustainability across the solar supply chain, with the primary objective of monitoring social and environmental impacts along the supply chain.
- The SSI has obtained the support of over 50 organisation covering the entire value chain and has the support of leading international financial institutions (including European Investment Bank and International Finance Corporation – World Bank Group).
- In addition, the SCT Workstream has contributed to the European Commission’s public consultations on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive proposal and the Forced Labour Ban proposal.
Interview with Ozer Ergul, chair of workstream
Full transparency, which will enable a sustainable solar value chain, is only possible with stakeholder collaboration that is solely based on trust. Although our solar products and projects are simpler than any other sources of energy, our supply chain has complex and cross-cultural challenges which can only be overcome through joint problem-solving efforts with sense of urgency and unity. We should un-chain the supply and let solar products, services, and funds to flow to projects to generate electrons.
Read the interview
Read the letter
Supply Chain Sustainability workstream Chair
Supply Chain Sustainability workstream Vice Chair
Members of the Supply Chain Sustainability workstream
