On 15 January 2025, Donghai JA Solar Technology Co, LTd, a subsidiary of JA Solar, was one of 37 cross-sector entities added to the United States’ Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. Donghai JA Solar Technology Co LTd presence on the list prevents entry of their products into the US market. The Solar Stewardship Initiative has issued the following statement:
“Investigations under the US UFLPA have judged that there is a cause to believe that one of the manufacturing sites of Donghai JA Solar Technology Co Ltd, a subsidiary of JA Solar, has a high exposure risk to polysilicon sourced from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR).
The SSI takes the addition of the Donghai JA Solar Technology Co Ltd entity to the UFLPA list very seriously and has initiated an investigation into the matter. JA Solar’s membership of the Solar Stewardship Initiative is suspended while the investigation takes place.
The Solar Stewardship Initiative is committed to fostering responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of solar PV materials. SSI membership alone does not indicate certification.
SSI certification applies to sites, not companies. SSI certification is first achieved by independent assessors visiting and certifying individual manufacturing sites on their performance against the SSI ESG Standard. The second step focuses on assessing how sites ensure responsible and transparent supply chains and sourcing. This is done by independent assessors visiting and certifying sites against the SSI Supply Chain Traceability Standard.
When joining the SSI, each member commits to applying the SSI Standards within its entire operations and encouraging their adoption along its supply chain. For now, when a solar manufacturer joins the SSI as a member, it commits to submit at least two of its production sites for assessment against the SSI Standards within 12 months. The SSI Board is currently discussing ambitious certification targets for supply chain penetration and market coverage for coming years.
The SSI does not conduct assessments or certifications for sites in regions that are inaccessible to unsupervised visits. The SSI is a tool to reinforce and demonstrate the credibility of sites that are freely accessible and are committed to upholding robust ESG and traceability standards.
The SSI does not certify sites complicit in forced labour. This is embedded in the SSI ESG Standard, Supply Chain Traceability Standard, and SSI Assurance Manual. By refusing to conduct assessments or certifications in sites or regions that are not freely accessible, the SSI contributes to the marginalisation of businesses who fail to uphold strong ESG and traceability standards.
The SSI has a robust Complaints and Appeal Mechanism. Breaching the SSI certification process is not tolerated. Stakeholders are encouraged to use the SSI Complaints and Appeals process to ensure a fair and thorough resolution.”