The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada News
Bridgestone Americas announced that its Aiken County Off-Road Tire Plant (Aiken ORR), located in Trenton, South Carolina, has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED recognizes buildings that are designed, constructed, and operated for improved energy, environmental, and human health performance.
Research shows that improperly maintained tires are contributing to the No. 1 cause of teen deaths in the U.S. – car accidents. To ensure teens take tire safety seriously, Michelin North America connected the dots between sneakers and tires to ignite kids’ awareness about how proper air pressure and tread depth can save lives.
Nokia, Finland – Nokian Tyres has received a ‘silver class’ distinction in the RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook 2019, the Finnish tire maker announced 14 Feb.
RobecoSAM carries out an annual evaluation of companies’ efforts to minimise the environmental-impact of their products and activities.
Nokian, which last year received a ‘bronze’ rating, is following a sustainability-improvement plan, with several specific targets for 2020.
London – There appears to have been a breakthrough in the dispute between tire makers and NGOs over the governance structure of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR).
The initiative was formally launched 25 Oct by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) Tire Industry Project (TIP).
As an ‘independent’ body, GPSNR aims to drive up the socio-economic and environmental performance of the NR value-chain.
Women play an important role in the whole rubber value chain from nurturing, harvesting, processing, trading and manufacturing.
Along with the celebration of International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) 75th Anniversary, IRSG is organising a photo competition to pay tribute to women’s contribution in the rubber industry. This contest is supported by Singapore Committee for UN Women and prizes are sponsored by Namazie International.
Goodyear has renewed its corporate membership of international development organisation Transaid for a further year. Transaid’s life-saving projects in sub-Saharan Africa, with its financial contribution providing essential unrestricted funding towards the testing and implementation of new programmes aimed at improving road safety and access to healthcare. Goodyear originally pledged its support in 2015.
The Goodyear Blimps and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve will conduct their eighth joint maneuver next month benefiting the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation at the company’s airship base in Ohio. The event will provide the public with an opportunity to donate to Toys for Tots while enjoying an up close and personal view of the newest and third airship, Wingfoot Three, inside the hangar in Suffield, Ohio.
Development of the platform was initiated by the CEOs of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Tire Industry Project (TIP) in November 2017 and has since been led by a Working Group of TIP member companies. TIP members continue to work to ensure the sustainable production and supply of natural rubber, and in joining the platform they commit to be able to demonstrate the integration of principles for sustainable natural rubber into their purchasing and/or operational activities. The GPSNR is open to applications for membership from other natural rubber stakeholders.
Speaking at the launch Peter Bakker, President and CEO of WBCSD said “The tire industry consumes around 70 percent of natural rubber and demand is growing. This throws into sharp relief the social, economic and environmental opportunities associated with this important commodity. The GPSNR will consider the people, communities and natural resources touched by natural rubber production and supply – they all stand to benefit from the creation and adoption of sustainable and responsible practices.”
The ceremonial launch included the signing of a GPSNR Member Statement by the 11 members of TIP, and Ford Motor Company, Halcyon Agri Corporation Limited, ITOCHU Corporation, Kirana Megatara, SIPEF, The Socfin Group, and Southland Global PTE Ltd.
Bakker praised the efforts of founding and prospective GPSNR members in bringing the platform to launch, adding “This spirit of collaboration will define the actions of the platform going forward – there is strength in diversity, and the various interests and expertise within the GPSNR can deliver a truly sustainable natural rubber supply chain.”
The WBCSD’s TIP spearheaded development of the GPSNR and will financially support the platform during start-up and its first two years of operation – a level of support necessary to ensure basic operations while a paying membership base is established. Despite industry backing the GPSNR will maintain its independence, underlined Anne-Cécile Remont, Director WBCSD TIP– “Once officially launched, the platform will be independently managed, with governance and decision making overseen by a representative group of stakeholders.”
Building upon past work, in developing the platform, a review of comparable supply chain sustainability initiatives, including natural rubber, revealed that meaningful change was best achieved through the mainstreaming of good practices and this was central to discussions around the GPSNR’s governance structure, explained Remont. “Successful mainstreaming requires actionable commitment from the entire supply chain. Best results are found where the various contributions of stakeholder groups are relative to their ownership of supply chain opportunities, their relevant expertise and their capacity to implement meaningful change,” she said.
To be headquartered in Singapore, a dedicated GPSNR secretariat will kick-off operations in March 2019 with an inaugural GPSNR General Assembly.
About the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
WBCSD is a global, CEO-led organization of over 200 leading businesses working together to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. We help make our member companies more successful and sustainable by focusing on the maximum positive impact for shareholders, the environment and societies.
Our member companies come from all business sectors and all major economies, representing a combined revenue of more than USD $8.5 trillion and 19 million employees. Our global network of almost 70 national business councils gives our members unparalleled reach across the globe. WBCSD is uniquely positioned to work with member companies along and across value chains to deliver impactful business solutions to the most challenging sustainability issues.
Together, we are the leading voice of business for sustainability: united by our vision of a world where more than 9 billion people are all living well and within the boundaries of our planet, by 2050. http://www.wbcsd.org
For more information, please contact:
Gavin Whitmore
whitmore@wbcsd.org
Mobile: +41 79 880 57 29
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Bridgestone Corporation have announced that the world’s largest tire and rubber manufacturer has become the organization’s seventh Worldwide Paralympic Partner.
Already a Worldwide Olympic Partner through to 2024, Bridgestone now has global rights to promote and support the Paralympic Movement over the same period.
For the past 5 years the concept of Sustainable Natural rubber has gained some attention in Latin America.
Guatemala was the first country on the region to pioneer on that subject having developed several projects ranging from FSC ® (Forest Stewardship Council) certifications up to Carbon Credit emissions.
Colombia for its turn, have created recently a Carbon Taxation system that was the genesis for a national carbon credit market with great potential as a tool to promote low-carbon opportunities in the agricultural sector, being Natural Rubber an excellent choice.
In Brazil, sustainable natural rubber production has gained momentum, specially since 2016, when Pirelli…