Accreditations matter for parish solar in three ways: they are conditions of most grant funding (Buildings for Mission, diocesan capital programmes, OZEV), they are signals of quality to PCCs and DACs, and they shape the standards we apply to every project. Our accreditations are held by SEO Dons Ltd and renewed continuously.
MCS Certified
Microgeneration Certification Scheme — UK quality assurance for solar PV installations. MCS commercial certification required for installers delivering systems eligible for SEG export tariffs and most public-sector grants.
NICEIC
National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting. UK's leading certification body for electrical contractors. Required for safe parish-electrical work.
RECC
Renewable Energy Consumer Code. Consumer code of practice operated by the Renewable Energy Association providing additional consumer protection for renewable energy installations.
TrustMark
Government-endorsed quality scheme for trades operating in or around the home and community buildings. UK national licensing system.
IWA Insurance-Backed Warranty
Insurance-backed Workmanship Assurance — 10-year guarantee on installation workmanship backed by an insurance underwriter. Protects PCCs if installer ceases trading.
ISO 9001:2015
International quality management standard. Annual external audit confirming consistent project delivery, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement.
ISO 14001:2015
International environmental management standard. Annual audit confirming environmental impact monitoring, waste reduction, and supply chain sustainability.
ISO 45001:2018
International occupational health and safety management standard. Annual audit confirming safe working practices and risk management.
EASA-aligned
Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association working partnerships. EASA member architects bring decades of cathedral and parish-church fabric experience. Engaged for heritage-sensitive projects.
Solar Energy UK Member
UK trade body for the solar industry. Engages with government, regulators and standards bodies on behalf of the UK solar PV sector.
Why accreditations matter to grant applications
Most major UK church solar grant programmes condition funding on installer accreditations. Buildings for Mission applications require MCS commercial certification. The OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme requires installer registration on the OZEV approved-installer list. Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme claims require evidence of competent contractors. Diocesan capital programmes typically require MCS at minimum.
For PCCs commissioning solar, the cheapest local quote without MCS commercial certification is almost always uneconomic once grant restrictions are factored in. The headline saving disappears as soon as the grant route closes.
Audit and renewal cycle
Most of our accreditations operate on annual audit cycles. ISO 9001/14001/45001 each require external surveillance audits annually with full re-certification every three years. MCS, NICEIC, RECC and TrustMark each have annual review processes. We maintain an integrated compliance calendar so no accreditation lapses; the cost is included in our standing overheads.