Launch of Responsible Procurement of Solar Panels Guide

Solar panels are essential to the green transition, but their supply chains come with serious and well-documented risks of forced labour and human rights violations, particularly in the early production stages linked to the Xinjiang region in China. For procurers and buyers, this is both a sustainability challenge and an increasingly urgent legal one, as the EU Forced Labour Regulation enters into force in December 2027. 

To support organizations in working systematically with these risks Ethical Trade Sweden has developed a practical guide for responsible procurement of solar panels. At this webinar, we launch the guide – and bring together a panel of practitioners from different sectors to discuss what responsible procurement looks like in practice. 

Sign up here! (link)

What the guide covers 

The guide is aimed at both public and private buyers, municipalities, regions, property companies, energy companies and others procuring solar panels for their own use. It is grounded in the OECD due diligence model and includes: 

• Background on the solar panel supply chain and the specific risks linked to forced labour, from quartz extraction to finished panel, 

• Practical guidance on how to embed responsible procurement principles into your processes 

• Concrete selection and award criteria and contractual terms you can adapt and use directly 

• Guidance on follow-up and supplier engagement over time 

Programme 

• Welcome, opening remarks by 

• Henrik Lindholm, Director of Ethical Trade Sweden, 

• Heidi Furustøl, Director of Etisk Handel Norge 

• Nanna Callisen Bang, Director of Ethical Trade Denmark 

• Risks in the solar panel supply chain 

• Presentation of the guide, by Emilie Schultze, Advisor at Ethical Trade Sweden 

• Panel discussion – how can we procure solar panels responsibly? with voices from private and public buyers across the Nordic countries: 

• Chris Chong, Sustainability Manager, Soltech Energy (SE), 

• Tom Myhre, Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), BACKE (NO) 

• Mads Feer, Chief Consultant, HOFOR (DK) 

• Q&A 

The panel discussion will be facilitated by Henrik Lindholm, Director of Ethical Trade Sweden. 

The webinar is free and open for everyone. 

Sign up here!