On 30 June 2025 the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) launched a landmark policy paper: Solar Roadmap: United Kingdom Powered by Solar.

As a member both of paper co-author, Solar Energy UK, and of the Solar Stewardship Initiative, leading UK-based solar panel producer, UKSOL, is ideally qualified to comment on the roadmap.

In particular Andrew Moore, UKSOL’s CEO and an Export Champion for the Department of International Trade, is an industry advocate for ethical sourcing and labour practices. In UKSOL’s case this includes:

·      a strictly enforced ethical procurement policy;

·      a Sedex SMETA audit of its Chinese manufacturing partner;

·      membership of industry schemes such as ECOVADIS and the Solar Stewardship Initiative.

If you are planning to cover the UK Solar Road Map, please consider including this immediate reaction from Andrew:

“UKSOL welcomes the Government’s solar roadmap, especially chapter five and its moves for supply chain reform. It is time the UK solar sector rebalanced toward ethically audited, British-led manufacturers who are committed to fair labour, sustainable practices, and genuinely long-term performance guarantees.

“For too long, the UK solar market has been dominated by suppliers whose credentials rely more on financial credit ratings than ethical practices.

“The so-called ‘Tier One Supplier’ model — awarded by banks based on balance sheet strength, rather than transparency or ethical compliance — has created a false sense of trust. In many cases, these panels are manufactured in jurisdictions with serious concerns around forced labour and environmental standards.

“As a British-based leader in rigid and flexible solar panels, for rooftop and ground mounted projects, UKSOL is ready to play its part. We look forward to helping roll out the roadmap while adhering to a strict ethical procurement policy, independent labour audits and the Solar Stewardship Initiative.“

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