Taiwan-based solar panel manufacturer Winaico recently received an important certification related to social responsibility.
Winaico was founded in 2008 and is part of the Taiwanese technology company Win Win Precision Technology Co. Ltd. As a testament to its strong commitment to ethical practices, Win Win was recently awarded SA8000 certification.
Launched in 1997 by Social Accountability International (SAI), the SA8000 standard is based on internationally recognized “decent work” standards, the elements of which relate to:
- Child labor
- Forced or compulsory labor
- Health and safety
- Freedom of association and right to collective bargaining
- Discrimination
- Disciplinary practices
- Working hours
- Compensation
- Management system
There are currently more than 5,500 SA8000 certifications worldwide, representing 70 industries and approximately 3.47 million workers.
In addition, WINAICO says it has also received OHSAS18001 certification in terms of occupational health and safety. However, it appears that OHSAS 18001 was withdrawn some time ago and replaced by the new international standard for occupational health and safety, ISO 45001. I have asked Winaico for clarification and will update this post with any new information.
However, regarding its SA8000 certification, Winaico said:
“SA8000 accreditation ensures that every product is backed by an independent SAAS accredited audit, ensuring impartial oversight that verifies our compliance with global standards.”
Winaico in Australia
Winaico has been on the Australian solar scene since 2012. At the time of writing, reviews of Winaico solar panels here on SolarQuotes from Australian customers have generally been quite positive, with an average of 4.8 stars out of a total of 215 reviews and 4.9 stars in the last 12 months (29 reviews). The company is currently on SQ’s recommended solar panel list.
One of the standout features of Winaico solar panels is the way the company insures them – product warranties of up to 30 years and 2 years of “3-in-1 solar insurance.” The latter covers losses due to property damage, business interruption or loss of income for the first two years, but can be extended to five years for an additional fee. It’s pretty comprehensive; It covers a range of events including fire, burglary, vandalism, storms and even “animal bites” (including rodents munching on cables).
Other SA8000 certified solar panel manufacturers
Based on the table of recommended panels, there are other companies with SA8000 certification. Including:
This is probably not an exhaustive list as some brands may operate under a different company name. For example, Winaico’s is listed as “WIN WIN Precision Technology, Ltd.” Or certified companies may have a similar name, but it wasn’t clear to me if it was *that* company.
Modern Slavery, Solar and SQ
A few years ago, modern slavery in the solar industry and related sectors came into the spotlight. In response to the issue, in 2022 SolarQuotes began assessing modern slavery risks within the company’s business and supply chain, culminating in the development of our own Modern Slavery/Forced Labor Policy.
But in addition, we have also started making inquiries with the companies listed in our recommended brand tables and/or in the comparison tables for solar panels, batteries, inverters, PV converters and electric vehicle chargers. We’ve introduced a row in each comparison table indicating whether a brand has a modern slavery statement or forced labor policy. It has been an ongoing exercise and you can read more about our approach here.
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