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

The Bridgestone Group aims to continue existing in harmony with nature by maximizing its contribution to biodiversity (ecosystems, species and genetic diversity) while minimizing the impact of its business activities on biodiversity.

The Group's activities are based on the long-term goal adopted at the 2010 Tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, understanding the relationship between business activities and biodiversity and to identify priority issues to be addressed. The concept of being in harmony with nature, which is set forth in the Group’s long-term environmental vision targeting 2050 and beyond, refers to the mindset of minimizing the impact of business activities on biodiversity while offsetting losses to the ecosystem as a whole by restoring biodiversity and conducting other contributing activities. The Group is promoting initiatives to achieve being in harmony with nature throughout its business activities.

Actions to achieve In Harmony with Nature

The Group 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 from 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 solution business to contribute to CO₂ reduction
   ・Preserve and restore ecosystems around Bridgestone Group facilities
   ・Conduct water conservation activities within communities
   ・Contribute to enhancement of circular economy
   ・Introduce biodiversity educational program

The Group is working on improving the environmental impact as one of its new mid-term environmental targets in Milestone 2030. The Bridgestone Group 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, the Group will create the water stewardship plans at 100% of manufacturing facilities in water stress areas much earlier than 2030 and monitor the ratio of facilities that created the plans and the progress. As of June 2022, 25 manufacturing facilities are located in water stress areas and 7 facilities (28%) had created their water stewardship plans. For details of the water stewardship plan, see “Minimizing footprint.”

In addition, the Group has a permanent goal of and committed to no deforestation^*3 in sourcing and production activities, which is incorporated into the Global Sustainable Procurement Policy, and worked on achieving the goal in cooperation with its suppliers, business partners and other stakeholders. To strengthen the activities, the Group established its target: by the end of 2022 as 30% of the Group’s natural rubber supply chain will be traceable to the smallholder level, and 21 natural rubber processing facilities and four natural rubber plantations will undergo on-site ESG audits and be monitored its progress. For details of the plan and progress, see “Procurement.”

The Group's business operations take into account the impact on the ecosystem as a whole. Since 2013, the Group has been conducting materiality analysis on the environmental footprint of its operations and on its environmental contributions to biodiversity conservation. Based on the interrelationships in the following diagram, this analysis has identified the priority issues. Moving forward, the Group plans to expand its activities by taking key actions on these issues, while continually reviewing our priority issues to meet the changes in social needs.

Meanwhile, various quantification methodologies for biodiversity have been developed by different organizations, including the Natural Capital Protocol. Keeping track of these global trends, the Bridgestone Group works to deepen its understanding of the relationships between its business operations and biodiversity both qualitatively and quantitatively.

In addition to its past participation in the Business for Nature and the Japan Business Initiative for Biodiversity (JBIB), the Group began participating in the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD) Forum in March 2022.The Group recognizes risks and opportunities related to its impact and dependence on nature and is currently assessing multiple nature-related scenarios in light of the global trend toward nature-positive world.

*Diagram was created based on the Business & Biodiversity Interrelationship Map® released by the Japan Business Initiative for Biodiversity (JBIB).

We, the Bridgestone Group, respect the principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity. We promote biodiversity to help ensure not only sustainability but also a healthy, vibrant future. The Bridgestone Group is committed to enhancing biodiversity by leveraging its global presence. We are actively linking our world-wide 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. We at Bridgestone are humbled by the lessons we can learn together with others in our communities by connecting with nature.

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

Through the program, the Group encourages all manufacturing facilities across the globe to promote activities to conserve biodiversity. The Group 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. The Group 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 of plants and animals as well as the restoration of their habitats, and by collaborating with various stakeholders, the Group is committed to passing on a healthy environment for future generations, as stated in the “Ecology” of the Bridgestone E8 Commitment.

In 2021, 141 manufacturing facilities participated in this program and 37 sites are recognized as Gold Class, an increase of 2 sites from last year.

As an annual results, Bridgestone Group held over 630 Environmental conservation/education events such as Eco-Art Contest, tree planting campaign and waste tire collecting. The participants of those events exceeded 27,400.

Sixty-nine 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 University of South Carolina, Aiken Campus to provide educational classroom instruction to Aiken County students.

Seventy-three manufacturing facilities manage on-site microhabitats or waystations such as bird box, pathway for small animals crossing roads and aquatic plants on the waterside. Furthermore, ninety manufacturing facilities protect and manage habitat onsite and/or offsite, with a total of over 17.9 million square-meter of habitat managed.