When people get into their cars and trucks, most probably never think about where their tires come from or how they’re made. But the tire industry thinks about this every day. We think about the issues surrounding our products’ environmental, social and economic sustainability. This includes forest sustainability, water management and labor, land and human rights associated with the production of natural rubber.

The tire industry uses 70% of the world’s produced natural rubber, and we have long recognized our responsibility to ethical sourcing and ensuring the sustainability of the market.

Out of this concern came the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR). CEOs of the Tire Industry Project (TIP) of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) developed the GPSNR to lead improvements in the socio-economic and environmental performance of the natural rubber value chain. The GPSNR established 12 principles, which include taking measures to ensure forest sustainability, promoting human rights, advocating for anti-corruption action, developing grievance mechanisms for those involved in production, and creating training and education opportunities.

According to WBCSD president and CEO, Peter Baker, “The commitment of TIP members to achieve sustainable natural rubber has been a crucial driving force in taking the GPSNR from concept to reality.”

Since its inaugural General Assembly in March, the GPSNR has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Rubber Study Group, the intergovernmental body that speaks for global rubber industry stakeholders. The MoU will facilitate cooperation between the two groups, allowing for collaboration and work toward common goals.

GPSNR already has crafted a “Sustainability Policy Toolbox and Best Practices Guidance” and is at work on final revisions to their plan for improving transparency and enhancing traceability in the natural rubber value chain.

Through the GPSNR, rubber producers, tire makers, car makers and other users of rubber, as well as financial institutions and civil society organizations are coming together to build and support a fair, equitable and environmentally sound natural rubber value chain. We congratulate and support TIP members for leading the charge.