Finland’s Nokian Heavy Tyres Ltd. says it has commenced “change negotiations to adapt production to the change in the market and demand situation”. The change negotiations concern the Nokia factory employees of Nokian Heavy Tyres Ltd., altogether some 160 people.
The possible adjustment measures considered by the company could be layoffs of Heavy Tyres factory employees and shortening of their daily and weekly working time.
The adjustment measures are preliminary planned to be implemented as temporary layoffs due to production and financial reasons for a maximum period of 90 days per employee. The measures are planned to be implemented during 2023. The negotiations will last for two weeks, adds the company.
Meanwhile in terms of Nokian Tyres’s commitment to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, aiming to achieve the Net-Zero Standard by 2050, the company has published its Corporate Sustainability Report 2022 disclosing the latest development on its work on sustainability, for which the net-zero commitment is a natural continuation.
Nokian Tyres has committed to set near- and long-term emission reductions in line with the science-based net-zero targets of the Science Based Targets initiative.
“Achieving the net-zero commitment by 2050 may feel distant, but in practice it means that actions and innovation are needed today. Committing to net-zero is a natural continuation of our work for the environment and our aim to be the leader in sustainability in tire industry,” says Teppo Huovila, Vice President, Quality and Sustainability at Nokian Tyres.
An important factor in achieving the net-zero target will be the new factory that Nokian Tyres is building in Oradea, Romania. It will be the first zero CO2 emission factory in tire industry. The construction will begin soon, and commercial tyre production is expected to start in early 2025.
Highlights in the report include that 2022 was the first complete year when there was zero waste to landfill from production. It was also a record year in occupational safety, as the lost time incident frequency was at all-time low. The greenhouse gas emission intensity from Nokian Tyres factories has decreased by 43% compared to year 2015. Additionally, the company was again included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Europe index.
“Our sustainability work is driven by our company culture: we care about the environment, but also about our customers, employees, consumers and partners. The net-zero goal inspires us to drive innovation to address climate change – and succeed together. Taking action today will future-proof our business,” says Huovila.
The Corporate Sustainability Report 2022 has been prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards, and it has been assured by an independent third party.
As a pioneering company in the industry, Nokian Tyres says it was the first tyre company to have its science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions approved by the Science Based Targets initiative in 2020. The new goal to reach net zero by 2050 incorporates additional targets to reduce emissions and commitment to SBTi’s most ambitious guidelines to limit the increase in global warming to 1.5°C in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.