We recognise that CARES funded communities and organisations can find it challenging to identify suitable contractors to support capital works for the installation of a renewables system. 

We have established the capital works supplier list to help communities identify suppliers who wish to undertake community-owned, small to medium-sized installations. We will direct communities to use the list to help them identify suitable suppliers as part of their procurement process. 

To join the capital works supplier list, suppliers must be: 

  • a MCS-accredited supplier for the technologies listed 
  • willing to engage with communities and respond to invitations to tender 
  • be able to provide a full design proposal and build service as a turnkey contract for building scale installations, where this is required. This should include provision of the design, engineering, labour, materials and delivery, installation, monitoring and commissioning. 

We also request suppliers to identify and mitigate the risks of human trafficking and modern slavery within the supply chain for projects that will be funded through CARES. From August  2026 suppliers are requested to confirm that they: 

  • have undertaken an assessment to identify and mitigate human trafficking and modern slavery risks within their supply chain.  
  • will provide a summary on request to CARES funded applicants seeking to engage their services.  

For more information relating to the risks of human trafficking and modern slavery please see the notes at the bottom of this form. 

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Human Trafficking and Exploitation risks in the supply chain 

 What is human trafficking and exploitation? 

Human trafficking is the action of recruiting, transporting/transferring, harbouring or receiving, exchanging or transferring control over another person, including children and young people, with a view to that person being exploited.  Exploitaton involves taking advantage of someone, in particular the act of taking unjust advantage of another for one’s own benefit. 

The Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015 sets out the criminal penalties for this behaviour. 

In simple terms, it is when people are exploited for someone else’s gain. This can involve being forced, threatened or deceived into working or providing services, often for little or no pay. 

 

Risks of human trafficking and modern slavery in the supply chain 

CARES funded communities and organisations must comply with all relevant anti-slavery and human trafficking legislation, including the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015. 

They must include suitable and proportionate measures within their procurement processes to identify, assess and mitigate the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking with supply chains, in accordance with the conditions of their CARES funding agreement. to build appropriate checks into their procurement process for renewable energy installations to assess how contractors manage modern slavery risks and improve supply chain visibility. 

Human trafficking and labour exploitation risks may arise in solar PV supply chains, particularly in the sourcing of polysilicon and other critical minerals. These risks include credible reports of forced labour, including state-imposed labour in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). 

Steps that a contractor can take to mitigate the risk of modern slavery occurring could include: 

  • where the risk is identified as being a real or credible risk of occurring within a contractor’s product/supply chain then that product is avoided and an alternative sourced unless the supplier can detail sufficient mitigation measures. For example a real or credible risk being a contractor utilising firms in its supply chain identified in the Sheffield Hallam University In Broad Daylight Report 1 and update report Over Exposed: Uyghur Region Exposure Assessment for Solar Industry Sourcing 2. 

 

Risks of modern slavery in the supply chain 

Projects funded by CARES must follow laws on modern slavery and human trafficking, including: 

  • The Modern Slavery Act 2015 
  • The Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015 

Communities and organisations receiving CARES funding are encouraged to undertake appropriate due diligence as part of their procurement process to understand how contractors and suppliers manage human trafficking and modern slavery risks and to improve supply chain transparency. 

As a contractor, you should be aware that renewable energy supply chains can carry risks. For example, in the solar PV sector there are known risks linked to the production of materials such as polysilicon and other critical minerals. There have been credible reports of forced labour, including state-enforced labour in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). 

Where a real or credible risk of human traffickign and exploitation is identified within a proposed supply chain, applicants are encouraged to avoid procuring those products or services unless the supplier can demonstrate appropriate mitigation measures and provide satisfactory evidence that the risk is being effectively managed. 

 

What contractors can do to reduce risk 

You can help reduce these risks by taking practical steps, such as: 

  • Avoiding high-risk sources
    If there is a known or credible risk of human trafficking and modern slavery in a product or supply chain, you should avoid using those products and look for alternatives – unless the supplier can clearly show how the risk has been properly managed.