Solar Giants Forge Global Alliance for Sustainable Supply Chains and Growth

• Twenty-four leading PV companies, led by JA Solar, launch the Global Solar Sustainable Alliance at the UN Global Compact summit, pledging strict ESG standards across the industry.

Solar power’s biggest names have united behind a sweeping sustainability agenda. At the UN Global Compact’s inaugural Global Business Summit in Jakarta, JA Solar and 23 peer manufacturers—including LONGi, Jinko, Tongwei and GCL—unveiled the Global Solar Sustainable Alliance (GSSA), an industry-wide commitment to raise environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards from mine to module.

Why the alliance matters

The solar sector now delivers some of the world’s cheapest electricity, but its rapid expansion has amplified scrutiny of raw-material sourcing, labour practices and end-of-life waste. By adopting a single playbook aligned with the UNGC’s Ten Principles and the Sustainable Development Goals, the GSSA aims to pre-empt regulatory crackdowns and reassure buyers that green power is not built on shaky foundations.

Three pillars, nine actions

The initiative lays out nine “actionable pathways” grouped under three pillars:

• Just Transition – Slash emissions, embrace circular manufacturing and ensure biodiversity protection, starting with greener mineral extraction.

• People-Centric Development – Guarantee safe, inclusive workplaces; embed human-rights due diligence in procurement; and engage local communities when siting projects.

• Governance Enhancement – Tighten board oversight, combat unfair competition and report progress through transparent, standardised metrics.

Endorsement from the UN and beyond

Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact, hailed the pledge as “a model for responsible industrial growth.” Speakers from Indonesia’s economic council to Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio echoed that view, arguing that robust governance will accelerate investment rather than slow it.

Next steps

Signatories have 12 months to publish a concrete action roadmap detailing science-based carbon targets, traceability systems and stakeholder-engagement plans. JA Solar, which spearheaded the effort, has already rolled out its “Together Towards Tomorrow” responsible-supply-chain strategy, promising zero-deforestation polysilicon and full audit transparency.

Bigger picture

With global solar installations expected to top 655 GW next year, investors are demanding proof that expansion will not replicate the social and ecological pitfalls of past energy booms. The GSSA, still voluntary, must translate lofty goals into verifiable results. Yet by standing on a UN stage and vowing to move in lockstep, the industry’s biggest players have signalled that the era of “solar at any cost” is over—and that a cleaner, fairer supply chain is now integral to staying competitive.