Yokohama named on CDP 2019 Climate Change A List

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has been named on the 2019 Climate Change A List announced on 20 January by CDP, a global environmental impact non-profit organization (NPO) that aims to promote the realization of a sustainable economy. Inclusion on the internationally prestigious CDP A List of companies with outstanding environmental performance recognizes Yokohama Rubber’s efforts to mitigate climate change as being of the highest global standard. This is the second time Yokohama Rubber has been included in the CDP Climate Change A List, following its first listing in 2016.

CDP A List selection is based on companies’ responses to the NPO’s questionnaire on climate change. Of the more than 8,000 companies that responded to the 2019 questionnaire, only 179 made the A List, including 38 Japanese companies.

At the Japan meeting announcing the results of the CDP’s 2019 survey on corporate climate change action, Yokohama Rubber’s Gota Matsuo, a Member of the Board and Managing Officer who is also in charge of Corporate Social Responsibility Division, told the audience that Yokohama Rubber has been working to achieve a sustainable society through the CSR activities being conducted as part of its Grand Design 2020 (GD2020) medium-term management plan, which was launched in fiscal 2018. Matsuo said that Yokohama Rubber is promoting the global Sustainable Development Goals through proactive actions based on its CSR slogan “Caring for the Future—make life more fulfilling for people everywhere.” Two recent such actions cited by Mr. Matsuo that reflect the company’s efforts to protect the earth’s environment were the installation at its Philippine subsidiary’s tyre manufacturing plant of a solar power generation system that uses the bilateral credit system and cooperative efforts with business partners and local communities to realize the sustainable procurement of natural rubber.

The Yokohama Rubber Group’s GD2020 medium-term plan has designated CSR activities as an important management strategy. Accordingly, Group companies are endeavouring to create value through business activities conducted with consideration for the global environment and social contribution. In addition to activities promoting the use of renewable energy and sustainable procurement of natural rubber, Group activities that help preserve the earth’s environment include developing environmentally friendly products, installing highly efficient equipment, and conducting thorough energy-saving programs. Activities focused on social contributions include various volunteer activities by Group employees and donations by the employee-backed Yokohama Magokoro Fund to support disaster relief operations and other efforts of non-profit organizations.