Yokohama Rubber announced it has adopted a new procurement policy for the sustainable natural rubber.

The new Policy explains Yokohama Rubber’s stance regarding the procurement of natural rubber, the initiatives being taken by the company and related requests to its suppliers. The company aims to realize the sustainability of natural rubber by promoting the Policy throughout its supply chain.

In recent years, the demand for tires and consequently that for natural rubber—the core raw material used in tire production—has been expanding steadily as the world’s population grows and mobility technologies become more advanced. However, this growth in demands has increased concerns about a host of problems, including unlawful deforestation, land exploitation, human rights violations, and adverse effects on biodiversity, in the countries and regions where natural rubber is produced. To help resolve these problems, Yokohama Rubber is participating in the Sustainable Natural Rubber Initiative (SNR-i) being launched by the International Rubber Study Group. The Company is also a member of the Tire Industry Project (TIP) led by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). The WBCSD’s TIP is currently creating a framework to ensure the sustainability of natural rubber.

The company has undertaken various activities on its own initiative to secure the sustainability of natural rubber. For example, in Thailand, a major producer of natural rubber, the Group has been conducting joint research on natural rubber with universities since 2013, while also promoting widespread use of an “agroforestry farming method” that contributes to more stable income for the country’s rubber farmers and holding regular exchanges (Suppliers’ Day) with local natural rubber suppliers. Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd., the Group’s natural rubber processing company in Thailand, has introduced a purification system that recycles the water used at the plant as part of its effort to protect the natural environment and maintain a strong relation based on trust with local residents.

Yokohama Rubber aims to work with all members of its supply chain to promote activities that conform to the Procurement Policy for the Sustainable Natural Rubber.

Tagged: sustainable rubber procurement

Yokohama announces new policy on sustainable natural rubber