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First Solar GmbH

First Solar is a leading solar technology company and global provider of responsibly-produced eco-efficient solar modules advancing the fight against climate change.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Peter Van Kemseke (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen)

29 Oct 2024 · meeting CEO

Meeting with Bart Groothuis (Member of the European Parliament)

16 Oct 2024 · Energy policy

Meeting with Raphaël Glucksmann (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Sept 2024 · Forced labour

Meeting with Caroline Boeshertz (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis), Nicolo Brignoli (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis)

31 Jan 2024 · Solar industry

Meeting with Christophe Grudler (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

22 Dec 2023 · Règlement pour une industrie à zéro émission

Meeting with Anna Cavazzini (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and First Solar European Technology Center AB

13 Dec 2023 · Forced Labour

Meeting with Christophe Grudler (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

11 Oct 2023 · NZIA

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and

26 Sept 2023 · Green Deal

Meeting with Henrike Hahn (Member of the European Parliament)

21 Sept 2023 · Net Zero Industry Act

Meeting with Samira Rafaela (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

21 Sept 2023 · Forced Labour Ban

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and 50Hertz Transmission GmbH

30 Jun 2023 · NZIA

Response to Effectively banning products produced, extracted or harvested with forced labour

30 Nov 2022

First Solar welcomes the European Commissions draft regulation. From raw material sourcing and manufacturing through end-of-life panel recycling, our commitment to Responsible Solar is underpinned by the belief that solar should never come at the price of people or the planet. What was once a geographically diverse solar manufacturing industry and supply chain, is now almost entirely concentrated in a single country. Half of the worlds polysilicon, the building block for crystalline silicon PV technologies, is produced in Xinjiang, China. Meaning the solar industry is widely exposed to human rights risks. Europe needs solar, but not at any human or environmental cost. It is a misconception that policymakers must choose between fighting climate change and respecting human rights. Please find some recommendations below to strengthen the EU Commissions legislative proposal: 1. Effective risk-based due diligence measures should include credible independent onsite social audits based on reputable frameworks, such as the Responsible Business Alliances Validated Audit Process (RBA VAP) or SA8000; a standard issued by Social Accountability International that is based on internationally recognized standards of decent work, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ILO conventions, and national laws. 2. The solar industry should not reinvent the wheel, especially if it lowers the bar. SolarPower Europe and Solar Energy UK recently launched the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), a concrete plan towards a more responsible, transparent, and sustainable value chain. Although the SSI is more comprehensive than the U.S. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) Traceability Protocol, it has yet to be implemented. To be effective, the SSI should be based on third-party audits with vetted auditors that have the necessary qualifications to conduct onsite social audits. For example, ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environmental management), and ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety) are not suitable qualifications for conducting a social audit. 3. Credible independent audits are not possible in regions with state-sponsored forced labour. While human rights due diligence best practices for businesses typically include conducting third-party onsite social audits and working with suppliers to remediate business-related adverse human rights impacts, independent audits are not possible in regions with state-sponsored forced labour. For example, most international auditing firms refuse to audit in Xinjiang, China, due to lack of access, threats and intimidation. 4. Where proper due diligence is not possible, disengagement may be the only option. The OECD Due Diligence Guidelines require companies to immediately suspend or discontinue engagement with suppliers where reasonable risks of serious abuses, such as forced or compulsory labour, exist. 5. Traceability is complicated, but supply chain mapping is easy. While traceability in the solar supply chain is complicated by polysilicon blending, mapping the solar supply chain is relatively easy to do as evidenced by the Sheffield Hallam report, which makes identifying forced labour exposure in Xinjiang less challenging than other industries.
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Meeting with Lucia Bonova (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager)

9 Jun 2022 · Issues within Competition portfolio.

Meeting with Marie-Pierre Vedrenne (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Nov 2021 · Politique commerciale européenne, concurrence déloyale, mesures anti-dumping, défense commerciale