Group-wide employee turnover was 3.6 (previous year: 7) per cent. The number of employees leaving the company (total employee turnover) was 65 in 2008 (previous year: 941), including 22 (previous year: 1) women. The total number broke down as follows: Germany 18 (previous year: 18), Spain: 1 (previous year: 1), USA: 44 (previous year: 66), Singapore: 2 (previous year: 7) and South Africa 0 (previous year: 2). A breakdown by age group was not yet possible on the basis of the data available to us since these data have not yet been recorded on a uniform basis so that it is not possible to draw up any statistics (Explanation Type 2). We intend to address this issue in the medium term. We will have to analyze the possible level of detail in disclosing the data since some details are confidential (Explanation Type 3). Human Resources

2007 values in parantheses
1) Continuing operations only

No notification periods are specified in collective bargaining agreements or company agreements. The obligations of the employer with respect to significant changes in operations are set out by legislation, e.g. in Germany by the Industrial Relations Act (BetrVG), sections 90, 92, 106, 111. At our US site in Vancouver, any essential changes in operations fundamentally affecting our employees have to be notified 90 days in advance.

In our group there are no programs of this kind, nor are there any workers involved in high-risk operational activities. We have taken precautions against all kinds of hazards by means of technical inspections, personal protection equipment and training courses. The only possible hazard is due to chemicals, but this is minimized by the above methods of inspection. For purposes of documentation, we record company hygiene and conduct surveys (both of these annually). We have also taken out insurance (environmental liability) in the event of spills that might cause damage to health.

The data are not yet available broken down by employment category (hierarchical level, area) since this information has so far not been recorded in this way (Explanation Type 2). We intend to address this issue in the medium term. However, we document our further and ongoing education expenditure per employee (382.13 (previous year: 387.371) €), total further and ongoing education expenditure (697,387 (previous year: 550,0691) €) and the number of training and education programs (837 (previous year: 5721)). We use a restrictive definition of these expenditures, including only direct costs (e.g. as documented by invoices). In 2008 we had a total of 83 (previous year: 66) trainees in our group (including employees pursuing in-work studies under the “sandwich-type studies” program). Human Resources

1) continuing operations only

We pay wages and salaries at our sites mostly in line with the collective bargaining agreements, i.e. compensation for women and men subject to collective bargaining is identical. This applies to about 54 (previous year: 52e) per cent of our employees worldwide. At present it is not possible to analyze employees by category since these data have not yet been recorded in the form desired under GRI (Explanation Type 2). We intend to address this issue in the medium term. The challenge will be to handle the fact that some functions differ substantially and are not very meaningful when expressed as an average for the group as a whole. One possibility would be to capture the salary range and mean pay by gender. However, this should not be based on basic salary since basic salary is only a part of compensation. In particular for management executives, performance-related bonuses and pension schemes may make a considerable difference. We continue working on a meaningful form of presentation. It remains to be checked whether some information may or must not be published in order to comply with data protection aspects (Explanation Type 3) since the presentation of salaries would be too transparent for certain positions involving only very few employees.

In the reporting period, there were no significant investment agreements with key importance in terms of volume or strategic importance for the company. As a result, there were no human rights clauses associated with such agreements, either.

There was no systematic screening of our suppliers and contractors on human rights aspects (this far, this has not been a high priority because a large proportion of our suppliers and contractors are based in industrialized countries where strict national standards apply). In 2009, we intend to introduce our Code of Conduct for Suppliers in order to explicitly and systematically include sustainability and ethical standards in our cooperation agreements. www.solarworld.de/sustainability

As in 2007, there were no incidents of discrimination in the reporting period.

According to the assessment of the HR departments of the individual sites, no business operations have been identified where freedom of association or the right to engage in collective bargaining could be significantly jeopardized. However, so far no formal procedure to identify such business operations has been established (Explanation Type 2). We intend to address this issue in the medium term. However, we cultivate open and direct relations with employees which means that any such risk should be notified to us. The legislation in Germany, Spain and the USA protects employees against any restrictions of their rights. At the site in South Africa we currently have only 3 employees, and at the site in Singapore only 10 employees, which favours strong participation of the individual employees in the decisions of management.

Our business activities do not involve a significant risk of incidents of child labour or work by young people under dangerous conditions. Our processes are very transparent and are supervised via documentation in the work schedules. These aspects are also included in our group-wide Code of Conduct. Human Resources www.solarworld.de/sustainability This far, a formal procedure to identify such risks has not been applied (Explanation Type 2). We intend to address this issue in the medium term.

Our business activities do not involve any significant risk of forced or compulsory labour. Our processes are very transparent and are supervised via documentation in the work schedules. These aspects are also included in our group-wide Code of Conduct. Human Resources www.solarworld.de/sustainability This far, we have not used a formal procedure to determine this risk (Explanation Type 2). We intend to address this issue in the medium term.

To date, no formal programs or systematic procedures have been established to assess and regulate the impact of business activities on the community, including the launch, implementation and termination of business operations in a community or region (Explanation Type 2). We intend to address this issue in the medium term. We always seek open stakeholder dialogue 4.16 and 4.17

Responsibility is in the hands of Executive Board members and Managing Directors. In 2008 we expanded and further specified the SOLARWORLD Ethics and Code of Conduct, which also govern our anti-corruption policies. The establishment of formal programs including training schemes is a medium- to long-term task that we will continue working on in 2009.

So far no employees have been trained in the organization’s anti-corruption policies and procedures because so far no formal programs or systematic procedures have been established. This was originally planned for 2008 but will now only be addressed in 2009 since the revision of our Code of Conduct in 2008 took longer than expected.

As in 2007, there were no incidents of corruption in the reporting period.

SOLARWORLD conducts lobbying work in order to help solar energy become competitive and is engaged for political funding programs. This relates for example to compensation through the German Renewable Energies Act (EEG). We support the increase of the annual reduction of the rates of compensation as of 2009 since they provide the industry with incentives to create cost reductions and quality improvements. We are also working worldwide for free access to the electricity grid for power producers because that is a prerequisite for solar energy to be competitive with other sources of power. In general terms, we work politically for climate protection, the conservation of resources, sustainable development and ethical management. That means our lobbying activity is in conformity with our declared principles, sustainability goals and public statements of position.

No major cases of non-compliance with laws and regulations were determined in the reporting period.

Apart from the measures already indicated under other GRI items (technical inspections, etc.) there are no further systematic programs to address health and safety impacts during the life cycle of our products.

There are no written advertising-related rules of conduct or standards specified for the entire organization. The SOLARWORLD group adheres to the law in its advertising and is guided by the values of the Code of Conduct Human Resources www.solarworld.de/sustainability, e.g. fair competition, no discrimination. Compliance is continuously monitored through approval of adverting campaigns by the Executive Board. We do not distribute any products that must not be sold in certain markets or are called into question by stakeholders or public debate.

As in 2007, no incidents of non-compliance with laws and regulations were determined with respect to delivery and use of products and services.