Modern slavery target of new solar supply chain procurement guide
Recent reports identifying the industry as vulnerable to human rights violations has spurred on production of new advice from Action Sustainability.
The guide, which is available to download for free, looks at how organisations can address the issue of modern slavery and labour exploitation within the photovoltaic supply chain.
Both the Global Slavery Index 2023 and Sheffield Hallam University’s study, In Broad Daylight: Uyghur Forced Labour and Global Supply Chains, have brought existing concerns about the solar industry’s working standards into sharp relief. In May, Unearthing Justice, a report by Friends of the Earth Scotland and London Mining Network, also presented alarming details of the impact so-called transition materials have on the planet and society.
Nevertheless, a new Bill was introduced to parliament last week, which would effectively ban human rights and climate justice from being factored into local authority procurement decisions in the future. The proposals, which make gives specific status to Israel and many believe is directly linked to the country’s actions in Palestine, has caused outrage among human and environmental rights campaigners.
Among other things, the new Solar PV Supply Chains Practical Procurement Guidance looks at pragmatic steps to address risks within commercial lifecycles, insights into due diligence, guidance on implementing best practices, and signposting to existing tools, resources, organisations that can assist on an ongoing basis. Due to the nature of content, it is directly applicable to a number of net zero and low emission technologies that use rare earth metals and other materials associated with human rights violations.
‘Human rights abuses such as modern slavery, forced labour and labour exploitation are embedded in the history of our energy journey. We’re in the process of changing the energy mix and moving to a more sustainable model, yet the technologies we’re relying on are entrenched with human rights issues,’ said Helen Carter, Lead Coordinator at Action Sustainability and co-author of the report. ‘We wanted to produce this guide to help organisations of all shapes and sizes take a responsible approach to this transition – we hope it goes some way to doing that.’
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Image: Action Sustainability