Global CSR Commitment

From our beginnings in the 1930s, our founder, Shojiro Ishibashi, believed that a business that contributes to society would do well by doing good. Today, this is more important than ever, with mounting social and environmental challenges threatening the planet and the quality of life of all people living on it. Now, as a global leader, the Bridgestone Group is committed to serving society by improving access to smart, safe transportation, building healthy, resilient communities, and minimizing our environmental impact. Looking forward, we remain committed to driving innovation around mobility, people, and the environment – so that we can continue to serve society with superior quality for generations to come.

“Our Way to Serve”, which is closely linked to the Bridgestone Essence, refines and builds upon the recent 10 years of success and learning from the Bridgestone’s 22 CSR Focus Points.

In 2017, Bridgestone has redefined its global corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment, “Our Way to Serve.” “Our Way to Serve” aims to inspire Bridgestone teammates to continue doing great work, by continuing to do good for the world. “Our Way to Serve” organizes Bridgestone’s CSR efforts under three Priority Areas: Mobility; People; and Environment. “Our Way to Serve” reflects the company’s longstanding philosophy of “Serving Society with Superior Quality” and a recognition that the best companies not only perform for their stakeholders, but also contribute to a better world.

Along with these Priority Areas, Bridgestone continues to strengthen the basic governance, compliance and behavioral characteristics expected of any responsible company through its Management Fundamentals. These are exemplified in the company’s commitment to leadership in six major areas including Compliance and Fair Competition; Business Continuity and Risk Management; Human Rights and Labor Practices; Safety and Industrial Hygiene; Procurement; and Quality and Customer Value.

“Our Way to Serve” is closely linked to themission of the Bridgestone Essence of “Serving Society with Superior Quality.” It refines and builds upon our 10 years of success and learning from the Bridgestone Group’s 22 CSR Focus Points. Through “Our Way to Serve,” we leverage our strengths and competencies—thousands of teammates worldwide, a global network, industry leadership, and a history of innovation—to improve the way people move, live, work, and play.

“Our” refers to the individual leaders and employees at all levels of Bridgestone’s worldwide organization, while “Serve” means all team members incorporating the Priority Areas and Management Fundamentals into their consciousness and plans as they work, fulfill their roles, and go about their everyday duties. “Our Way to Serve” is the core of the Bridgestone Group’s business, and the guiding principle for everything we do.

Areas in which the Bridgestone Group can utilize its strengths and competencies to generate common value (value for both customers and society) through innovation and cutting-edge technology.

Areas for measures essential for a responsible corporation, such as compliance with ISO26000, and adherence to basic rules and social norms.

With growing awareness about the environment and sustainability, increasing global population, climate change, and SDGs, social expectations regarding the roles that individual corporations play in ensuring the future health of the world have been increasing. Through “Our Way to Serve,” Bridgestone aims to meet these expectations and fulfill its responsibilities for the future as an industry leader.

The SDGs adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in 2015 are a set of 17 global goals with 169 specific targets to realize a sustainable world. The Bridgestone Group is working to help achieve these goals as part of its responsibility as a global corporation.The Bridgestone Group compared its business operations as well as its policies and measures for sustainability in order to identify areas where it can leverage its strengths and capabilities to help resolve problems. And the Group is actively pursuing measures for solutions.

To implement “Our Way to Serve” on a global basis, Bridgestone Group has established a collaborative network made up of a global CSR management system, a regional CSR management system, and working groups (WGs) for specific areas and functions.

The Global CSR Enhancement Committee (GCEC) and the Global Quality Management Committee (GQMC), which implement the global CSR management system, evaluates the corporate group’s overall CSR policy based on working group and regional issues. The GCEC and GQMC submits its recommendations to Global Executive Committee (G-EXCO)^*1, which includes CSR as a management priority.

Bridgestone Group has established working groups (WGs) for CSR activities by area and function, comprising strategic business units (SBUs) and regional members. By considering CSR from a perspective that includes both regional issues and those to be addressed on a global basis, Bridgestone Group has established a system to energize its global and regional CSR activities.