In addition to the tyre manufacturers listed, at least two of the best-known manufacturing material suppliers were also listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index effective 23 November 2020 – Arkema and Lanxess.
Pirelli might be Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) Industry Leader in the “Auto Components” category, but Nokian Tyres and Hankook Tire are also listed on DJSI World 2020.
Shandong Linglong Tire recently unveiled a new range of bio-based rubber tyres. Developed in joint collaboration with Beijing University of Chemical Technology over the past three years, the tyres utilise a number of sustainable rubber ingredients.
Bridgestone has announced a new campaign that invites its partners to participate in building a stronger society. Called ‘A Layered Journey’, the campaign highlights the ways Bridgestone is incorporating sustainability in its value chain with a focus upon its commitment to sustainable procurement of natural rubber.
Kordsa has been awarded the Gold rating for sustainability by Ecovadis. The rating reflects the tyre and construction reinforcement material supplier’s commitment to achieving sustainability. It also calls Kordsa outstanding in the environment, sustainable procurement, workforce and human resources categories. The Gold award places Kordsa within the top companies among more than 40,000 surveyed for their sustainability credentials between 2015-2019.
Members of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) convened the annual General Assembly on 23 September 2020. The event saw the approval of a members’ sustainability policy framework and the creation of a new membership category for smallholder producers of natural rubber.
The ABB FIA Formula E Championship has become the first sport to have a net zero carbon footprint since inception, investing in internationally certified projects in all race markets to offset emissions from six seasons of electric racing. Formula E’s announcement was made during the launch of Climate Week NYC 2020 and featured on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 on 23rd September. Following the recommended approach set out by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Formula E has followed three key steps to achieve a net zero carbon footprint: effective measurement of carbon output, prioritising reducing its footprint and offsetting remaining unavoidable emissions.
The UN Global Compact CFO Taskforce for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), brought together Chief Financial officers from leading companies around the world to launch “CFO Principles of Integrated SDG investments and finance” in the context of the 75th UN General Assembly on 21 September 2020.
Michelin and Pirelli are leading the way on tyre and rubber sustainability, according to a recent report from Context Group. Context’s ranking assessed 11 members of the Tire Industry Project (TIP), namely Bridgestone; Continental; Cooper; Goodyear; Hankook; Kumho; Michelin; Pirelli; Sumitomo Rubber; Toyo and Yokohama.
Context analysed the sustainability content on each company’s website to see if it included communications covering some of the main issues associated with the life cycle impacts of tyres, including the four focus areas of the TIP: tyre and road wear particles, sustainable natural rubber, end-of-life tyres and environmental performance. The researchers assessed how well the companies tell their sustainability story by looking at their use of multimedia, news articles and social media.
Ricardo, experts in sustainable transport has delivered an innovative and comprehensive lifecycle assessment of road vehicles on behalf of the European Commission alongside specialists from E4tech and the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg (ifeu).
Global demand for natural rubber is outpacing supply, so stakeholders in the global tyre industry need to ensure sustainability is a guiding ethos in its operations, GRI states. The Sri Lankan manufacturer says sustainability in sourcing, production and disposal are key to its goals.
Volkswagen has called the launch of its ID.3 electric car the most significant since the Golf. But the launch is also a milestone for one of its tyre partners. Following the news that Bridgestone would supply its Enliten-enhanced Turanza Eco tyres to the ID.3, the world’s largest tyre manufacturer has outlined the benefits of its low rolling resistance, reduced materials technology, available on the road for the first time on the ID.3. Bridgestone says Enliten Technology “sets a new lowered standard in material use and rolling resistance to deliver significant environmental benefits,” making it ideally suited to a car launch characterised as a milestone in sustainability.
Continental has been recognised for its bicycle tyres manufactured with dandelion rubber with a brace of design awards. The Urban Taraxagum has won the prestigious Red Dot Design award, and the E-Bike Design & Innovation Award in the Sustainability & Green category by Focus E-Bike magazine. The two awards recognised different aspects of the tyre. The Red Dot Award lauded the design of the tread of the tyre, based on the cell shape of the dandelion. Meanwhile Focus E-Bike commended the sustainability of rubber extraction from dandelions.
Tyre manufacturer Hankook has received a platinum medal for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement. The medal was awarded by the French rating agency Ecovadis in particular recognition of Hankook’s sustainability initiatives. The medal is awarded to companies in the top one per cent of their industry sector.
Akil Mazumder; Pexels
Michelin
Cooper
Context Group
GRI
Bridgestone
Continental
Hankook