Hankook Tire gains ISCC PLUS certification

Hankook Tire has obtained the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS mark, which recognises its sustainability initiatives throughout the entire value chain from sourcing of renewable raw materials to sustainable finished products. The tyre maker points out that it’s the first firm in the tyre manufacturing industry to gain this status.

ISCC PLUS is an international sustainability certification programme for bio-based and circular (recycled) raw materials under the European Renewable Energy Directives (EU RED) that evaluates a company’s sustainability from its raw materials and manufacturing process through to finished products. The ISCC is affiliated with 130 sustainable raw material manufacturers, NGOs, and research institutes around the globe as members.

Hankook Tire’s Geumsan plant received ISCC PLUS certification for measures such as replacing petroleum-based oil with natural oil as well as adopting renewable bio-based polymers from petrochemical-based synthetic rubber.

In the case of natural oil, certification needed to be obtained for each of the processes, from the sourcing of natural raw materials and refining into oil, to its use as a raw material and the actual tyre production process. Verifying the eco-friendliness of the tyres made from these materials was also necessary. Products manufactured using these sustainable raw materials include the Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 all-season car tyre and Kinergy 4S 2X for SUVs.

“We are honoured to receive this high recognition from ISCC for our ongoing commitment to be the gold standard in sustainability,” says Sooil Lee, president and chief executive officer of Hankook Tire & Technology, “This certification demonstrates our meticulous focus to continue improving every facet of our business for the benefit of our planet, our communities, and our lives.”