Solar Supply Chains Under the Microscope: Navigating Europe’s Evolving ESG Compliance Landscape
This article was originally published in PV Tech.
In this PV Tech article, George Touloupas, Intertek CEA’s vice president of environmental, social and governance (ESG) and new services, outlines how rapidly expanding ESG regulations—spanning UFLPA, CSRD, CSDDD and emerging forced-labour laws—are pushing Europe’s solar sector toward unprecedented supply-chain transparency.
The solar industry finds itself at a critical juncture. What began as regulatory action in the US with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) has rapidly evolved into a global movement demanding unprecedented transparency across photovoltaic supply chains. For European solar professionals, this shift represents both a challenge and an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in sustainable manufacturing practices.
“Although it all started four years ago in the US with the UFLPA, it very quickly spilled over to Europe,” explains George Touloupas, Intertek CEA’s vice president of environmental, social and governance (ESG) and new services. “Europe was already moving in a similar direction, but that was like a spurring action. Things have progressed quite a bit, and this kind of due diligence is becoming standard in the US and in Europe.”
George Touloupas is Intertek CEA’s Vice President of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and New Services.
