PPN 02/23 Tackling Modern Slavery in Government Supply Chains was issued last month and sets out the UK Government’s commitment to tackling the scourge of modern slavery (an umbrella term that encompasses the offences of slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking). This guidance is clear that UK Government departments must take action to ensure modern slavery risks are identified and managed in government supply chains.
However, a significant risk to our decarbonisation is the fact that around 40% of the global supply of polysilicon – a critical component of solar panels – comes from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where it is reported to be made with state-sponsored forced labour. Between 15% and 30% of the cobalt in lithium-ion batteries used widely to store solar energy, including in electric vehicles comes from informal mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where forced and child labour are common.
A report from the University of Nottingham’s Rights Lab, ‘The Energy of Freedom’?: Solar energy, modern slavery and the Just Transition, warns that the rapid increase in demand for solar energy risks fuelling demand for products made with forced labour, including the polysilicon used in solar panels and cobalt used in lithium-ion batteries.
As a result, Contracting Authorities should be extra careful when procuring such items, and ensure they are compliant with the latest Modern Slavery rules to avoid any potential pitfalls.
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