SRI joins Sustainable Natural Rubber Initiative

Japan’s Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has signed up as a participant in the International Rubber Study Group’s Sustainable Natural Rubber Initiative (SNR-i). As a result, the tyre maker says it has “now committed itself to enacting measures in conformity with the initiative’s guidelines.”

The public/private inter-governmental organisation launched the SNR-i project with the stated aim of establishing a sustainable global natural rubber economy that balances economic, environmental and societal needs throughout the entire natural rubber supply chain, from production to consumption. The initiative establishes guidelines for five aspects of the natural rubber supply chain (supporting productivity improvements, improving natural rubber quality, supporting sustainability, water usage management and respecting human and labour rights) while promoting continuous improvement among participating companies that have each committed to abide by these guidelines through independent, voluntary activities.

Tyres, SRI’s main line of business, are primarily composed of natural and synthetic rubber, with natural rubber estimated to account for approximately 30 per cent (by weight) of the total materials used to make a standard tyre. As it is harvested from rubber trees, natural rubber can be considered an inherently sustainable resource; however, by declaring its support for the SNR-I, SRI has now committed itself to enacting measures in conformity with the initiative’s guidelines toward ensuring the sustainability of the entire natural rubber supply chain. “Thus, we are now working to implement a natural rubber procurement system that achieves harmony with the environment and with society,” wrote SRI in a statement.

In order to remain “a truly valuable presence for people, for communities and for society,” the Sumitomo Rubber Group has established its Basic CSR Philosophy as one of the cornerstones of its overall business activities. “We have also established guidelines concerning the procurement of raw materials and other items, through which we ask that our suppliers also follow our CSR Code of Conduct in their business activities as well. By pushing forward with these and other activities, we will continue to make improvements in terms of all of the areas covered by SNR-i guidelines.”