Environment | In harmony with nature
Long-term environmental vision (2050 and beyond):In balance with nature (Contribution > Footprint)

In order to exist “in harmony with nature”, Bridgestone has continued to make comprehensive efforts to develop and utilize technologies that “value natural resources,” while addressing the urgent matter of global warming through efforts to “reduce CO₂ emissions” based on the Environmental Mission Statement over many years. In becoming “nature positive”^*, Bridgestone believes that a comprehensive approach and transformation that combines actions in various areas, such as efficient use of resources, sustainable production, and climate change countermeasures, as well as nature conservation, are necessary. Bridgestone will continue to evolve its Sustainability Business Model by incorporating the Science -Based Targets (SBTs) for Nature framework of “Avoid,” “Reduce,” “Restore and Regenerate,” and “Transform”.

Bridgestone will strive into minimize the footprint of its business activities by reducing water withdrawal in water stress areas and emissions into the air and water. In parallel, it will enhance its contribution through conservation and restoration of ecosystems based on the long-term environmental vision of being “in balance with nature (Contribution > Footprint)” for 2050 and beyond, thereby contributing to realization of the vision of “living in harmony with nature” of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

* “Nature positive” means halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity and natural capital in order to put nature on the path to recovery. The intent behind this is to reduce the impact of business activities on biodiversity and natural capital, maintain and restore nature’s bounty, and transform socio-economic activities for the sustainable use of the natural capital.

Actions to achieve In Harmony with Nature

Bridgestone identifies and engages in activities related to its impact on and contribution to preservation/conservation of the environment throughout its product lifecycles and value chain.

1. Minimizing footprint
   (Examples)
   ・Reduce CO₂ emissions in operations
   ・Reduce water withdrawal impact in water stress areas
   ・Reduce waste generated and amounts sent to landfills
   ・Request suppliers to consider biodiversity
   ・Strengthen environmental management to pollution prevention
2. Enhancing contribution
   (Examples)
   ・Develop and expand solutions business to contribute to CO₂ reduction
   ・Preserve and restore ecosystems around Bridgestone facilities
   ・Conduct water conservation activities within communities
   ・Contribute to enhancement of the circular economy
   ・Introduce biodiversity educational program

As part of Milestone 2030, Bridgestone is promoting contribution to a nature positive world by improving its environmental impact. Bridgestone intends to be even more ambitious in its activities in response to the continued importance of social and environmental issues, and the potential impact on the environment caused by business growth.

To achieve the focused target, Bridgestone will create water stewardship plans at 100% of its manufacturing facilities in water stress areas by 2030 and monitor the ratio of facilities that created plans and their progress. As of December 2024, all 17 sites in the scope had completed the development of water stewardship plans. For details of the water stewardship plans, see the “Minimizing footprint” section.

In addition, Bridgestone has a permanent goal of and is committed to no deforestation^*3 in sourcing and production activities, which is incorporated into its Global Sustainable Procurement Policy, and is working on achieving the goal in cooperation with suppliers, business partners, and other stakeholders. To strengthen capacity building initiatives for smallholders, Bridgestone has formulated a global strategy with a medium-term goal of providing support for 12,000 smallholders, aiming to achieve forest conservation by 2026. This goal is in line with the Group’s strategy and GPSNR standards. It provided training and technical support to 11,687 smallholders in 2024. For details of the plan and its progress, see the “Procurement” section.

Bridgestone considers its dependence and impact on natural capital and biodiversity when conducting business activities. It conducts a materiality analysis of its dependence, impact and contribution to natural capital and biodiversity identified in the relationship map below to identify priority issues. Moving forward, Bridgestone plans to expand its activities by taking key actions on these issues, while continually reviewing priority issues to meet the changes in social needs.

* Prepared in-house with reference to ENCORE by the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and other sources, as well as the Business & Biodiversity Interrelationship Map® released by the Japan Business Initiative for Biodiversity (JBIB).

Bridgestone evaluates its dependence and impact on natural capital and biodiversity using the Exploring Natural Capital Opportunities, Risks and Exposure (ENCORE) tool developed by the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and other sources. Using the evaluation by the industry group, Bridgestone evaluates the general dependence and impact of its tire business on natural capital and biodiversity within the value chain.

In the latest ENCORE evaluation conducted in 2023, Bridgestone concluded that the significance of dependency is very high for services that maintain and regulate the climate, healthy soil, and pollination within ecosystems during the raw material procurement stage. It is also very high for services that control soil erosion, disease, and flooding. In addition, the evaluation concluded that the significance of dependence on water provisioning services was high in the tire and raw material manufacturing stages.

As for impact, Bridgestone concluded that the significance of land use in the raw material procurement stage was very high. It also concluded that the significance of the impact from use of water resources and waste discharge was high in the tire manufacturing stage. In addition, in the value chain as a whole, it concluded that the significance of the impact from greenhouse gas emissions, use of water resources, emissions into the air, water, and soil, and waste discharge was high.

Bridgestone assesses the importance of the proximity of its manufacturing facilities to areas of biodiversity using the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) developed by UNEP-WCMC, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other sources. Using this assessment, Bridgestone works to identify priority issues related to its footprints and contributions to biodiversity around manufacturing facilities, including location-specific assessments on protected areas and Red List species.

Bridgestone encourages all manufacturing facilities across the globe to promote biodiversity contribution activities, including the conservation of areas of biodiversity importance, and works to expand its contributions.

In addition to its past participation in the Business for Nature and the Japan Business Initiative for Biodiversity (JBIB), Bridgestone began participating in the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) Forum in March 2022. Amid the accelerating movement towards achieving a nature-positive world, as adopted by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Bridgestone is comprehensively evaluating and managing its dependence and impact on climate and natural capital, as well as risks and opportunities arising from climate change and natural capital loss in order to incorporate these into its business strategies.

Based on recognition of these risks and opportunities, Bridgestone is working to reduce the risks of transitioning to a decarbonized society that exists in harmony with nature. This includes promoting contribution to carbon neutrality and a circular economy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the value chain. It also includes the impact of various environmental footprints on natural capital by developing a medium- to long-term strategy and Sustainability Business Model to become nature positive. At the same time, Bridgestone is working to reduce physical risks by such measures as diversifying natural rubber supply sources through efforts to commercialize guayule, a rubber-producing plant that grows in arid regions.

Specifically, in the Mid Term Business Plan (2024-2026), Bridgestone focuses on “initiatives for sustainable use of natural rubber and water resources,” which are directly related to its business. Bridgestone has set goals to support 12,000 smallholders of natural rubber by 2026. Additionally, towards 2030, it aims to promote water stewardship plans to reduce water risk at production sites in water stress regions.

For details on Bridgestone’s initiatives based on TNFD recommendations, see the “TCFD and TNFD Index” section.
For details on Bridgestone’s Sustainability Business Model, see the “Building a Foundation for Sustainable Value Creation” section.

Bridgestone respects the principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity. It promotes biodiversity to help ensure not only sustainability but also a healthy, vibrant future. Bridgestone is committed to enhancing biodiversity by leveraging its global presence. It is actively linking its worldwide network of people with their unique wildlife habitats and providing education and research needed to achieve healthy biodiversity at the gene, species, and habitat levels. Bridgestone is humbled by the lessons that can be learned together with others in its communities by connecting with nature.

Bridgestone launched “The Bridgestone In Harmony with Nature – Promoting Biodiversity Program” in early 2019.

Through the program, Bridgestone encourages all manufacturing facilities across the globe to promote activities to conserve biodiversity. It annually assesses the level of biodiversity contribution at each site using nine key activity indicators, including the number of environmental education programs offered for children, partnerships with local schools and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the acreage of off-campus areas managed as natural habitats, and other factors. Bridgestone also highlights each site’s efforts by recognition based on the results of these evaluations and promotes its biodiversity contribution activities by sharing case studies of activities underway worldwide with the entire organization. By contributing to the conservation and restoration of flora, fauna and their habitats, and by collaborating with various stakeholders, Bridgestone is committed to preserving the environment for future generations, as stated in the “Ecology” value of the Bridgestone E8 Commitment.

In 2024, 106 manufacturing facilities participated in this program and 60 sites are recognized as Gold Class.

As an annual result, Bridgestone held over 860 environmental conservation/education events such as an Eco-Art Contest, a tree planting campaign, and waste tire collection. Participants in these events exceeded 63,000.

70 manufacturing facilities have partnerships with local schools, universities, NGO/NPOs, national wildlife groups, and governments and have promoted biodiversity conservation. For example, Aiken PSR in the U.S. has partnered with the University of South Carolina, Aiken Campus to provide educational classroom instruction to Aiken County students.

77 manufacturing facilities manage on-site microhabitats or waystations such as bird boxes, pathways for small animals crossing roads, and aquatic plants on water. Over 4,864 hectares of habitat are managed through the Biodiversity Promoting Program.