The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has once again secured a spot in CDP’s A List of companies for its leadership in corporate sustainability. This is Yokohama Rubber’s third-straight and sixth time on the A list by the global environmental non-profit organisation. The company received the highest score for its leadership in environmental transparency and climate change.

Based on its answers to the CDP's 2024 climate change questionnaire, Yokohama Rubber was chosen in recognition of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the risks associated with climate change and publish extremely transparent information. By tackling social concerns via its business operations, Yokohama Rubber is generating shared value under the sustainability motto ‘Caring for the Future’.

The global environmental disclosure system for businesses, cities, governments and regions is managed by CDP. Since its founding in 2000, it has encouraged businesses to reveal their environmental effects, cut greenhouse gas emissions, maintain forests and preserve water supplies. CDP scores are frequently used to influence procurement and investment choices in the direction of a resilient, sustainable and carbon-free economy. More than 2,100 firms in Japan and over 24,800 companies worldwide, including over 70 percent of corporations listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime Market, answered CDP's environmental disclosure questionnaire in 2024.

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Bridgestone is broadening its premium agricultural tyre portfolio for next-generation high-horsepower tractors. The company has added six extra-large sizes to its VT-TRACTOR range, covering 38-to-46-inch rims. These XXL tyres deliver superior traction, extended wear life and enhanced durability. An optimised rolling circumference ensures ideal lead percentage between front and rear tyre combinations, which is critical for maintaining proper driveline synchronisation and preventing mechanical stress under heavy field loads.

Advanced design features enable these performance gains. Developed using virtual three-dimensional simulation and robust Bridgestone design criteria, the tyres incorporate deeper and wider tread profiles that balance traction with even wear distribution. A patented involute lug design provides up to 12 percent more lug volume than competitors, maximising grip while minimising energy loss. This design maintains consistent performance over extended working seasons, reducing the need for premature replacements and lowering operating costs for farmers.

Durability comes from Bridgestone’s unique S-LINE bead profile, offering greater flexibility at lower pressures to reduce soil compaction and prevent rim slip. The high durability casing ensures even pressure distribution across the soil footprint, preventing both circumferential and shoulder cracks while improving tyre longevity. The tyres are fully compatible with Central Tyre Inflation Systems, allowing operators to adjust pressure on the move for different applications. Additional benefits include improved fuel efficiency and stable steering precision even under challenging field conditions.

Production takes place at Bridgestone’s Puente San Miguel plant in Spain, following significant upgrades to manufacturing capabilities including advanced production technology and specialised equipment for large-diameter tyres. These investments enable expansion into the 44- and 46-inch segment. The new XXL sizes will launch progressively from April 2026, expanding compatibility with a wider range of modern high-horsepower agricultural machinery across global markets.

Andrea Marconcini, Director Agriculture at Bridgestone EMEA, said, “Today, farmers operate larger, more powerful tractors and need tyres that can keep up – doing more and going further in demanding conditions. Our updated VT-TRACTOR range is engineered to enable faster, more efficient work in the field, together with a longer service life that reduces long-term costs.” 

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Pirelli has been reconfirmed as the global leader in the Auto Components and Automobiles sectors within the Dow Jones Best‑in‑Class World and Europe indices, formerly known as the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. The tyre manufacturer achieved this distinction based on its performance in the 2025 S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment.

Pirelli, which remains the only tyre company featured in both the World and Europe indices, secured a score of 86 points. This result is the highest among all companies in both the Auto Components and Automobiles categories and far exceeds the sector averages of 34 points for auto components and 37 points for automobiles.

The company earned maximum scores across multiple criteria, including Business Ethics, commitment to Human Rights, Occupational Health and Safety programmes, supply chain ESG assessment and environmental management related to water, waste and energy. Additional top scores were recorded for biodiversity protection and Pirelli’s verified pathway towards its Net Zero by 2040 target, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.

This latest recognition follows Pirelli’s reconfirmation in February 2026 as the only tyre manufacturer worldwide included in the Top 1 percent of the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2026. Originally launched in 1999 as the first global best‑in‑class sustainability benchmark series, the S&P Dow Jones indices now cover 62 business sectors and assess more than 12,000 companies annually across regional and global levels.

Giovanni Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice President Sustainability, New Mobility and Motorsport of Pirelli, said, “The confirmation of Pirelli at the top of the Dow Jones Best‑in‑Class indices is a testament to the solidity of a journey built on industrial innovation and responsibility across the entire value chain. This approach is embedded in our strategic and operational decisions, from technology to processes, from supplier management to the protection of people and contributes to strengthening the Group’s competitiveness while supporting its long‑term growth.”

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Shalva Akhvlediani, the Executive Director of Tegeta Green Planet, appeared on Radio Ucnobi on 15 April 2026, alongside Giorgi Guliashvili, Chairman of Wasteless. The broadcast focused on transforming waste into a resource, a key principle of the modern circular economy.

The discussion highlighted the necessity of properly managing automotive waste, especially end-of-life tyres, while addressing environmental and economic challenges in Georgia and worldwide. The guests argued that tyres should no longer be viewed as purely hazardous waste, as modern technologies and circular economy models can turn them into valuable materials for various industries.

A significant point of interest was rubber-modified asphalt. The speakers reviewed international practices and the potential for adopting this technology in Georgia, noting its proven durability, noise reduction benefits and ability to enhance road infrastructure while minimising environmental harm. The conversation also acknowledged local progress in sustainable road development.

As a follow-up, the guests referenced the GRAS 2026 conference, held in Tbilisi on 16 March 2026 and organised by Tegeta Green Planet and Wasteless. The event united local and international experts, private sector leaders and policymakers to discuss innovative technologies and circular economy applications. The conference served as a key platform for environmental awareness, demonstrating that the circular economy represents both an ecological duty and a basis for new economic opportunities and sustainable growth.

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DUNLOP’s natural rubber procurement subsidiary, SUMITOMO RUBBER SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., which operates as part of the supply chain partner Halcyon Agri Corporation Ltd., has been leading a major sustainability effort in Indonesia. Together with its Indonesian subsidiary PT Hok Tong, the Singapore-based producer and distributor launched the Traceability and Transparency Pilot Project, also known as the SNR Project, in South Sumatra in 2022. The initiative was designed to directly support smallholder natural rubber farmers in the region.

The project has successfully raised natural rubber productivity while simultaneously improving the earnings of local farmers. By enabling growers to achieve a stable income on existing farmland, the initiative has reduced pressure to expand agricultural areas. This outcome has contributed meaningfully to curbing deforestation that would otherwise result from farm expansion, demonstrating positive environmental and economic results for the DUNLOP Group’s sustainable procurement efforts.

Natural capital, including natural rubber, is recognised by the DUNLOP Group as an essential foundation for its sustainable business activities. Following the recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, the group has assessed its dependence on and impact upon natural capital, along with associated risks and opportunities. Continuing to use natural rubber as a sustainable resource has been identified as a major management objective for the future.

Most natural rubber production is carried out by smallholders rather than large plantations, and insufficient knowledge of cultivation and processing methods can lead to lower productivity and unstable incomes. These factors also risk driving farm expansion and deforestation, as well as creating social issues in production areas. To address these challenges, the DUNLOP Group undertakes support activities aimed at improving smallholder productivity and living standards.

In collaboration with Halcyon Agri, support focused on enhancing traceability, transparency and producer welfare in South Sumatra. Using RubberWay, a risk assessment tool for natural rubber, the project identified risks related to wage levels and agricultural practices. Over roughly three years from 2022 to 2025, including a pandemic-related suspension, more than 1,000 farmers received assistance through field investigations, raw material distribution mapping, productivity training, fertilisers and guidance on fertilisation. As a result, natural rubber yield increased by up to about 19 percent, and farmers’ earnings rose by approximately 25 percent in the target region.

Halcyon Agri commented: “At Halcyon Agri, we believe that the long-term resilience of the natural rubber industry is closely linked to the well-being of smallholder farmers. Through our subsidiary, PT Hok Tong, and in partnership with DUNLOP, we are advancing a CSR programme in Jambi Province to strengthen farmer capabilities through training, agricultural inputs and on-the-ground support. We are honoured to collaborate with DUNLOP, whose strong commitment and investment have been instrumental in enabling this initiative. Through this partnership, we aim to enhance productivity, improve livelihoods and promote sustainable practices across the supply chain. We believe this collaboration will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the natural rubber industry and create meaningful value for all stakeholders.”

Mulyono, a farmer who received support, said, “After the application of fertilisers, the leaves and bark of a rubber tree showed clear improvements in their conditions, and the health states of the entire tree improved. The leaves became even greener, and the bark became thinner, which made tapping easier. As a result, the rubber yield increased from approximately 100 kg to around 125–130 kg. Support from Halcyon Agri and DUNLOP has led to the improvement of our livelihood, and we expect a project like this to continue in the future.”

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