Bestselling solar supplier Jinko Solar continues to lead the industry with its ESG framework. Here’s what makes the company shine amid its competitors.
By Exec Edge Editorial Staff
In October, Jinko Solar was named ESG Innovator of 2023 by Forbes China, emphasizing the leading solar supplier’s everlasting commitment to sustainable operations and innovation as a means of addressing pressing global issues like climate change, energy insecurity, and efficiency.
With 2023 marking yet another year of recognition for Jinko Solar’s robust environmental, social, and governance framework, it’s clear that the company has mastered the balance between maintaining growth and sustainability. Here’s an overview of just some of the ways that Jinko Solar has gone above and beyond as an ESG innovator with its products and policies.
Environment: Leading Sustainable Innovation
As we continue to face climate change and resulting increased energy costs and concerns of grid instability, Jinko Solar is invested in constantly evolving its products to ease the global transition to renewable energy and reach new standards of industry efficiency and quality.
Not only do Jinko Solar’s n-type TOPCon solar modules hold more unique patents than most n-type competitors — it holds 330 — they’ve continuously broken records for maximum solar conversion efficiency, recently reaching a new industry milestone of 26.89% efficiency.
This achievement represents the 22nd time that Jinko Solar has broken the record for solar cell efficiency and is a testament to the company’s dedication to research and development, with nearly 2,000 R&D employees across 15 provincial-level research platforms and one provincial-level innovation team.
“We are proud to have achieved another major breakthrough in the conversion efficiency of n-type TOPCon cells, breaking the record we have previously set for n-type monocrystalline silicon solar cells,” said Dr. Jin Hao, Jinko Solar’s chief technology officer, in a press release. “We will continue to invest in R&D innovation and mass production capabilities, and to accelerate the pace of industry upgrading for advanced n-type product.”
In addition to raising the bar for solar module efficiency, Jinko Solar continues to develop the application of these modules for ecological management practices like desertification control. This follows recent developments in photovoltaics that can aid in desert soil management by stabilizing sand, reducing soil evaporations, and offering prime protection for vegetation planted underneath panels.
Jinko Solar is already testing the efficacy of this process through a 100 megawatt panel donation to China Power to aid the country in powering the Dalad Banner area and protect the region from the worsening impacts of climate change. This donation is expected to provide over 200 million kilowatt hours of clean electricity per year and allow for the creation of the largest desert photovoltaic power system in the world.
“The size and importance of this project is yet another example of how utility-scale customers have accelerated transition toward n-type products and how they trust our Tiger Neo for their solar power projects and around the world,” commented Jinko Solar VP Dany Qian in a press release.
Social: A Responsible Employer
As one of the largest solar manufacturers in the world, Jinko Solar is committed to maintaining a diverse, equitable, and safe work environment for all its nearly 50,000 employees. In 2021, the company joined the United Nations Global Compact, which aligns companies under a set of universal principles regarding human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption.
In signing the UNGC, Jinko Solar has joined the likes of industry leaders including Toyota, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft in the vow to provide dignified and empowering employment.
“We are proud to be a signatory company of UNGC. At Jinko Solar, we have a culture of equality, transparency, and accountability,” said Xiande Li, Jinko Solar’s CEO and chairman of the board of directors, in a press release. “We seek to align our business operations with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption.”
To ensure compliance with the principles of the UNGC, Jinko Solar conducts routine third-party and internal social responsibility audits. This audit system monitors a wide range of employees’ rights, from health and safety to working hours, anti-discrimination policies, and benefits and welfare. In rigorously identifying and addressing any operational deficiencies, Jinko Solar has maintained positive social responsibility performance ratings.
Jinko Solar is steadfast in providing employment that’s as empowering as its solar panels and provides employees with a variety of benefits and growth opportunities while ensuring that they maintain a work-life balance. In addition to offering educational services, Jinko Solar routinely organizes events and activities that promote employee well-being and connectedness, such as volunteering, sporting events, and dance and yoga clubs.
Governance: A Higher Standard of Leadership
In maintaining its reputation as one of the most well-respected solar manufacturers and suppliers in the world, Jinko Solar goes above and beyond to ensure all of its operations uphold an ethical standard and are in compliance with local laws and regulations.
The company has a strict compliance and ethics management system to prevent cases of corruption, bribery, money laundering, unfair competition, fraud, and conflict of interests both internally and among external partners.
Jinko Solar always strives for enhanced transparency, communication, and accountability, and safeguards the interests of its shareholders and stakeholders by enabling robust decision-making processes and ensuring the management and mitigation of potential business risks.
Given Jinko Solar’s dedication to superb corporate governance, it should come as no surprise that the company’s leadership has been recognized by a number of esteemed publications, including Asset Magazine, which awarded Jinko Solar with its Best Corporate Governance award in 2018.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious award, which recognizes the company’s efforts to strengthen corporate governance and management as well as increase transparency,” commented Li. “Looking forward, the company will continue to maintain high standards of corporate governance to create long-term value for its shareholders, customers, employees, and society.”
Jinko Solar has clearly honored its promise of continued industry leadership, as the company was recently one of the recipients of Solar Power World’s 2023 Leadership in Solar’ award. With prolonged worldwide energy concerns caused by climate change and ongoing global conflicts, innovative industry leaders like Jinko Solar are swiftly becoming an example for companies looking to usher in a future of sustainability and corporate responsibility.
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