It said that suppliers for solar projects seeking support from its £20 million Community Fund must use manufacturers that are members of the SSI.
October 8, 2026
Great British Energy has reaffirmed that it is working with the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) to prevent the use of solar products with forced labour in its supply chain in projects it funds.
It said that suppliers for solar projects seeking support from its £20 million Community Fund must use manufacturers that are members of the SSI—a solar industry initiative founded by trade bodies Solar Energy UK and SolarPower Europe to increase transparency and ethical practices in the PV supply chain—or demonstrate the equivalent level of ESG assurance.
In April 2025, an amendment was added to the Great British Energy Bill, which established the state-owned company, to ban the use of solar products with forced labour in their supply chains from GB Energy projects.
The commitment from GB Energy is as yet the highest profile step the UK government has taken to prevent the use of forced labour in solar supply chains, although the relatively high-profile nature of its ties to the industry means that developers are often at pains to demonstrate their supply chains are ESG compliant.
Related:Great Britain PPA prices jump in August
Following a request from Lord Alton, chair of the Joint Committee for Human Rights, in August, GB Energy CEO Dan McGrail wrote a letter in which he set out GB Energy’s efforts so far to prevent human rights abuses in its projects, and what it will continue to do.
He noted the importance of multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the SSI, and that GB Energy has established an internal Ethical Supply Chains Unit.
In related news, the South Gloucestershire Council announced that 980kW of solar PV capacity has been installed at 11 schools in its area, part-funded by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority as part of Great British Energy’s Mayoral Renewables Fund.
According to Councillor Louise Harris, cabinet member for the climate and nature emergency at South Gloucestershire Council: “It is estimated that each school or public building that’s had solar installed as part of this programme will save around a third of its energy costs.”
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Molly Green
Section Editor, Informa
Molly joined the team in 2024 and has led coverage on the UK sites. Now shifting to a more global view, Molly is interested in how legislation shapes market dynamics, covering the intersection of policy design, investment patterns, and energy transition pathways.
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