ENVIRONMENT & SOCIAL Policy

Swimsol’s business is founded on environmental & social sustainability, promoting the installation of solar PV systems to replace conventional energy generation, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and associated hazards.

The installation and maintenance of solar PV systems generally have few environmental risks and impacts, but the integration of environmental impact management measures is required to avoid and minimise impacts.

Swimsol’s main environmental management issues are associated with floating solar marine works and associated terrestrial cabling to connect into the client’s existing power grid, and waste management (segregation, reuse, recycling, disposal) from rooftop and floating installations and office and warehouse activities.

Swimsol’s environmental management objective is to undertake all business activities in an environmentally sustainable manner by avoiding, minimising and managing all activities to conserve natural resources and biological diversity (water, soils, unique and fragile ecosystems and landscapes) in accordance with national laws, regulations and standards and GIIP. Environmental management is integrated into system design, installation and maintenance.

Swimsol’s environmental management is based on:

  • E&S SOPs, supported by detailed planning and implementation instructions, with a focus on avoiding, minimising and managing the impacts of marine works on coral and other marine habitat types, cabling though terrestrial native vegetation and waste management.
  • Staff induction and on-the-job training to enable employees to fulfil their responsibilities efficiently and cost effectively.
  • Project environmental and social impact assessment in accordance with national requirements, to obtain any necessary approvals / permits.
  • System design to withstand extreme local conditions (tropical climate, salt air and seasonal storms), to achieve stable rooftop panels and floating solar platforms.
  • Floating system design to avoid marine ecosystem impacts, with a focus on significant habitat features such as coral and native vegetation.
  • Low impact marine installation methods, avoiding damage when assembling, floating and mooring platforms.
  • Daily supervision of installation activities to improve performance and monitor compliance.
  • Constant monitoring and timely maintenance of solar PV systems.
  • Rapid investigation of any incidents and implementation of corrective actions.
  • Monitoring of E&S management against regulatory requirements and Swimsol’s ESMS.

Swimsol commits to not invest or implement, either directly or indirectly any types of the activities/projects as set out in the Exclusion list below:

  • Production or activities involving harmful or exploitative forms of forced labour/harmful child labour.
  • Production or trade in any product or activity deemed illegal under host country laws or regulations or international conventions and agreements or subject to international bans.
  • Any business relating to pornography or prostitution.
  • Production or trade in wildlife or wildlife products regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species or Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
  • Production or use of or trade in hazardous materials such as radioactive materials, unbounded asbestos fibres and products containing PCBs.
  • Cross-border trade in waste and waste products unless compliant with the Basel Convention and the underlying national and EU regulations but for the avoidance of doubt, use of waste as a fuel in district heating is not excluded.
  • Unsustainable fishing methods (i.e., drift net fishing in the marine environment using nets in excess of 2.5 km in length and blast fishing).
  • Production or trade in pharmaceuticals, pesticides/herbicides, chemicals, ozone depleting substances and other hazardous substances subject to international phaseouts or bans.
  • Destruction of Critical Habitats and high Conservation Value areas.
  • Production and distribution of racist, anti-democratic and/or neo-Nazi media.
  • Tobacco and alcoholic beverages (excluding beer and wine if it forms a substantial part of a projects primary financed business activities)
  • Live animals for scientific and experimental purposes, including the breeding of these animals.
  • Ammunition and weapons, military/police equipment, infrastructure or correctional facilities, prisons.
  • Projects which have the effect of limiting peoples individual rights and freedoms or violating their human rights.
  • Gambling, casinos and equivalent enterprises or hotels hosting such facilities.
  • Commercial concessions over, and logging on tropical natural forest; conversion of natural forest into a plantation.
  • Purchase of logging equipment for use in tropical natural forests or high nature value forest in all regions; and activities that lead to clear cutting and/or degradation of tropical natural forests or high nature value forest.
  • New palm oil plantations.
  • Any business with a political or religious content.
  • Construction of new and extension of any existing coal fired thermal power plants.