The Yokohama Rubber Co., has announced that it is participating as a collaborating organisation in a Japan Ministry of the Environment (MoE) project using advanced technology for evaluating and verifying sustainable procurement of natural capital from the ASEAN region, which is being implemented as one of the Japan government’s Cabinet Office programs for ‘Bridging the gap between R&D and the IDeal society (society 5.0) and Generating Economic and social value (BRIDGE).’

The Project was selected for funding by the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan (ERCA), an independent administrative institution, under its program for overseas surveys and compliance with international rules targeting the procurement of recycled resources such as metals and natural resources in foreign countries. The Project will be carried out for one year from April 2024 to March 2025.
It is being conducted by Mizuho Research & Technologies, in collaboration with Kokusai Kogyo Co., and will utilise advanced technologies, such as remote-sensing technology, to accurately grasp the size of plantations and farms, create quantitative evaluation indicators and judgment criteria for business activities related to natural capital, and develop monitoring methods with the aim of promoting sustainable procurement of raw materials and appropriate information disclosures of the use of natural capital. 

Yokohama states that as a company that procures natural rubber, it will contribute to the Project by employing its monitoring method at natural rubber plantations in Thailand.
This remote-sensing technology analyses information acquired by sensors mounted on satellites, making it possible to grasp the condition of forests, crop quality, and plant growth conditions in remote areas.
The tyre maker procures natural rubber used in a wide variety of its products from a complex supply chain composed of many small-scale rubber plantations, intermediaries, and processing plants. It therefore has become difficult for the Yokohama Group to assess and monitor risks related to environmental issues in its supply chain, such as illegal deforestation or poor water resource management, and ensuring traceability has become an issue for the Group’s promotion of sustainable procurement. 

Yokohama Rubber expects its participation in this Project to enable it to establish better monitoring and information disclosure methods that improve the traceability of natural rubber in its supply chain and accelerate its efforts to disclose information based on the recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
A founding member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), Yokohama Rubber revised its ‘Procurement Policy for Sustainable Natural Rubber’ in September 2021 and is strengthening its collaboration with GPSNR activities. Yokohama Rubber is also endeavouring to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations. As part of these efforts, the Yokohama Rubber Group is promoting the procurement of sustainable raw materials, including natural rubber.

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Birla Carbon, a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality carbon materials, has been awarded the prestigious Platinum sustainability rating by EcoVadis, ranking it within the top one percent of all assessed companies globally. This honour recognises the firm’s enterprise-wide leadership in integrating sustainability across its operations, innovation and value chain.

The evaluation specifically commended its strong performance across four key areas: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement. This achievement is further validated by extensive third-party certifications, with over 75 percent of operations certified to international standards including ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 45001, SA8000 and ISO 27001, underscoring the consistency and strength of its sustainability management systems.

John Loudermilk, President and CEO, Birla Carbon, said, “This Platinum rating reflects the steady progress we are making in embedding sustainability at the core of our business. Our growth strategy is geared towards delivering sustainability through innovation, operational excellence and responsible practices across our global footprint. We continually invest in sustainability and circularity-driven processes, keeping our operations sustainably efficient while creating long-term value for our customers, partners, communities and employees. Our sustainability strategy, Share the Future, serves as a roadmap to a sustainable future and guides our actions towards our aspiration of reaching net zero carbon emissions over the next 25 years. Being recognised among the top one percent of companies globally is a testament to the commitment of our teams worldwide.”

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. recently conducted an educational seminar for local natural rubber farmers in partnership with the Surat Thani branch of the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT). This marked the 10th such event since the programme's inception in 2020, involving 50 local farm households. Attendees received complimentary fertiliser, developed with RAOT's expertise, as part of the ongoing support.

The seminar curriculum covered essential agricultural topics, including soil and plant nutrition, correct fertiliser application and methods to prevent contamination in natural rubber. To commemorate the 10th seminar, the programme was expanded to include guest speakers from local government, police and healthcare. These guests addressed broader community and safety issues, such as human rights for foreign and minority workers, road safety and occupational health. A particular focus was placed on practical well-being, with the local hospital director offering guidance on preventing injuries during tree tapping and managing encounters with poisonous insects.

Post-event feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Many expressed that they gained new, systematic knowledge about cultivation practices, despite years of experience. Several noted that hearing directly from a rubber manufacturer reinforced the critical importance of purity in their product. Others found the health and safety advice immediately useful. The engaging delivery of the seminar was also highlighted, with one farmer mentioning a desire to recommend the valuable and enjoyable experience to peers.

This initiative is a direct implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Yokohama Rubber and RAOT in January 2020. The MoU focuses on economic support for farmers and improving supply chain traceability, aligning with the company's Procurement Policy for Sustainable Natural Rubber. Hosted in the region where Yokohama’s Thai natural rubber processing subsidiary, Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd. (YTRC), operates, the seminar exemplifies the policy's guideline to support small-scale farmers within the supply chain.

As a founding member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), Yokohama Rubber is committed to advancing these principles. The company views such efforts as integral to creating shared value under its sustainability slogan, ‘Caring for the Future’, and contributes to broader United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through the promotion of sustainable raw material procurement.

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In a significant event for India’s rubber sector, Minister for Ports, Co-operation & Devaswoms V N Vasavan inaugurated a ceremony for the transfer of innovative latex-based paint technology. This eco-friendly paint, a product derived from natural rubber, was developed by the Rubber Products Incubation Centre of the Rubber Research Institute of India. The technology was formally handed over to Kerala Paints Industries Private Ltd., with the Minister highlighting the event's historic nature for launching a sustainable product and stressing the importance of increasing domestic natural rubber consumption to improve grower returns.

Rubber Board Executive Director M Vasanthagesan outlined the centre's role in converting research into market-ready goods, reaffirming the Board's dedication to creating innovative, value-added rubber products. The gathering also heard remarks from several key figures, including Mahatma Gandhi University's K V Dayal, RRII Director Dr Debabrata Ray, RRII Senior Scientist Dr Shera Mathew and Kerala Paints' Managing Director Midhun P Pullumettel.

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has released its Monthly NR Statistical Report for November 2025, providing an overview of key developments in the global natural rubber sector.

While a modest rise in global production of 1.3 percent is anticipated for the year, this follows a revised, lower output forecast for Indonesia. Concurrently, worldwide demand is projected to grow by a more subdued 0.8 percent, bolstered by an upward adjustment in Indonesia's own consumption figures.

Recent price pressures have emerged due to this combination of uncertain supply, influenced by unpredictable weather patterns and generally muted demand. However, there are sporadic positive indicators, including noticeable recoveries within the tyre sector across some regional markets.

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