The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has announced a new natural rubber procurement policy which it says reflects its strong commitment to the responsible sourcing of raw materials.
The company believes the implementation and adherence to this policy will help address deforestation, land grabbing, and human rights in the areas of the world where natural rubber is produced.
“We know our actions can make a difference in protecting the rights of people throughout the supply chain, including the smallholders who grow natural rubber on their own land,” said Maureen Thune, VP and chief procurement officer. “Our new policy also helps to protect the environment by promoting environmentally and socially responsible land use.”
The policy introduces seven principles that will guide the development of a long-term, sustainable supply chain:Human Rights, responsible land acquisition and use; traceability; natural rubber processing;natural rubber growing and harvesting process; smallholder outreach; engagement and community development; as well as policy implementation and compliance.
Beyond this new policy, Goodyear is also working collaboratively to improve sustainability across the entire natural rubber supply chain. Goodyear is a member of the Tire Industry Project (TIP), a CEO-led initiative made up of the world’s 11 major tyre companies, which is actively working with key stakeholders, including automakers, rubber producers and civil society, to develop an industry platform for natural rubber sustainability.
“The multi-stakeholder collaboration is exciting, and we believe it is the key to the development of a unified industry platform,” said Thune. “Together, we are exploring best practices for responsible sourcing and identifying appropriate governance structures for the platform, all with the goal of making sustainable natural rubber a reality.”
Goodyear’s natural rubber procurement policy is effective immediately and covers the entire supply chain, including smallholders, industrial plantations, intermediate dealers/consolidators, processors, trading companies, and Goodyear itself.