Bridgestone receives ‘Prime’ ISS ESG Corporate Rating

Bridgestone Corporation has gained a ‘Prime’ designation in the ISS ESG Corporate Rating, with an effective date of March 2021. This is the first occasion that Bridgestone has received a ‘Prime’ rating from ISS ESG.

ISS ESG is a leading environmental, social, and governance (ESG) rating institution that empowers investors and companies to build long-term and sustainable growth by providing data, analytics and insights related to the company’s performance. The ESG Corporate Ratings score companies based on ESG factors and those receiving particularly high scores within their respective sector are awarded a ‘Prime’ distinction.

With this rating, Bridgestone has been recognised for its advancements in ESG initiatives and information disclosure. Examples of these efforts include contributing to the creation of a circular economy in the company’s Milestone 2030 mid-term environmental targets and requesting that business partners comply with its Global Sustainable Procurement Policy, which was introduced in 2018.

Bridgestone has defined a vision of providing social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company toward 2050 and established its Mid-Term Business Plan to serve as a guide in accomplishing this vision.

A core aspect of this strategy is accelerating the implementation of Bridgestone’s Sustainability Business Framework roadmap, which entails linking the Company’s initiatives for recycling resources and contributing to the realization of a carbon neutral society with its business model. Moreover, the Bridgestone Group’s Milestone 2030 mid-term environmental targets include the target of reducing total CO2 emissions by 50 per cent from 2011 levels by 2030 while the long-term environmental target clarifies the Group’s goal of achieving a carbon neutral state by 2050 and beyond. CO2 emissions reduction initiatives are being advanced toward these goals at a global level. In addition, the Group has put forth the targets of increasing its ratio of recycled and renewable to 40 per cent by 2030 and using 100 per cent sustainable materials by 2050 and beyond.

Bridgestone says that, guided by its corporate mission of ‘Serving Society with Superior Quality’, it will continue to actively contribute to the resolution of social issues and to the accomplishment of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in its journey to be a sustainable solutions company.