GENEVA, Switzerland — Nearly a dozen tire makers from around the globe are charting a future they hope will lead to more sustainability within their industry.
The Tire Industry Project (TIP) within the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBSCD) has been around for about 15 years and has been working on a new "Roadmap" for change for the last 18 months or so. The idea is to accelerate progress on achieving Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations by 2030.
There are seven ways where the tire industry can have an impact on the 17 goals, TIP members said during a virtual discussion May 18.
Those approaches, called impact pathways by the group, include efforts in the supply chain, operations, and products and services.
As director of global sustainability at Goodyear, Maureen DeSanzo has been involved in developing the blueprint the industry wants to take in the next decade.
"For individual companies, Goodyear included, the roadmap helps inform our strategies and identify key stakeholders to engage in developing those solutions," Ms. DeSanzo said during the discussion.
"So, really, regardless of where a company is in the journey, we hope that the roadmap can be leveraged to validate ongoing initiatives, to inform new efforts and also to help communicate the impact that value change actors are having in making progress to the goals," she said.
Concerning the supply chain, TIP seeks to "accelerate and scale activities to achieve a fair, equitable and environmentally sound natural rubber value chain."
The group also wants to "implement sustainable procurement practices and establish environmental, social and governance (ESG) responsibilities throughout the supply chain."
Operations efforts should include "pathways to decarbonize operations, reduce emissions and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources..
"Ensure safe and inclusive working environments and equal opportunities for all employees" is another goal in operations.
There are three pathways regarding products and services. They include leveraging "multi-stakeholder efforts to achieve evidence-base solutions that address tire and road wear particles."
The group also wants to "accelerate the sustainable mobility transition" and "advance innovation in product, service and business model design to enhance low-carbon and circular solutions."
With TIP's 15-year history, the group said it was well-positioned to develop the roadmap. The effort was accomplished completely online among collaborators due to the limitations created by COVID-19.
"We'd like to see this roadmap help guide and inform decision making across the entire value chain. We hope it will encourage stakeholder dialog," Ms. DeSanzo said, and provide inspiration for action.
