Sumitomo Rubber aligns NR-sourcing policies with GPSNR

TOKYO — Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd (SRI) has updated its "sustainable natural rubber policy" to align with the requirements for the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR).

GPSNR members are required to align their natural rubber (NR) policies with its policy framework within their first six months at the platform.

SRI said it has been "actively engaged" in procuring NR from sustainable resources and the recent move will aim to "better promote efforts to tackle environmental issues."

The updated policy, it said, will address challenges such as deforestation in rubber-producing regions and human rights issues such as labor conditions.

Welcoming the move, GPSNR director Stefano Savi said SRI had "formally codified [its] commitment to fair, equitable and sustainable natural rubber value chains."

According to Mr. Savi, half of the world's natural rubber demand is represented at GPSNR, and such a move "represents a major step forward for the industry as a whole."

Among the key points of SRI's updated policy are:

• Zero deforestation and environmental considerations (i.e., reducing the group's environmental footprint);
• Respecting human rights;
• Enhancing transparency and traceability; and
• Improving agricultural yields.