Environment | In harmony with nature
Minimizing footprint

Bridgestone’s environmental mission is “to help ensure a healthy environment for current and future generations”. This environmental mission includes three focal points: existing in harmony with nature, valuing natural resources, and reducing CO₂ emissions. “In harmony with nature” refers to biodiversity conservation and Bridgestone’s efforts to minimize the impact of operations on the overall ecosystem.

Bridgestone is engaged in various activities to help minimize the impact of its business activities on wildlife and natural habitats. It also engages in numerous activities to help improve the ecology within the production sites and the communities it calls home. These activities include reducing emissions, conserving water and other important natural resources, as well as implementing ecological improvements and education-related projects at business locations and in local communities.

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 that its business growth could have on the environment. To drive new achievements and further minimize its footprint, Bridgestone is building upon the various initiatives introduced in the previous mid-term target to reduce environmental impact on an ongoing basis.

Bridgestone has introduced a Global Sustainable Procurement Policy (hereinafter, Procurement Policy). The policy reflects Bridgestone’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and creating a thriving and sustainable supply chain for all materials. The policy includes expectations of suppliers regarding no deforestation, no wetlands development, biodiversity considerations, water management, conserving resources and reducing waste, reducing energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions, and control of chemical substances. As a large user of natural rubber, the Procurement Policy clearly outlines expectations with respect to critical issues within the complex global natural rubber supply chain. To align with stakeholder expectations, including the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) Policy components that were approved in September 2020, Bridgestone revised the Procurement Policy in 2021 accordingly. Furthermore, version 3.0 (January 2024) of the Procurement Policy explicitly stated that Tier-1 suppliers^* are required to extend/share the policies with their own suppliers, with the aim of reaching into the entire supply chain.

The policy is distributed to all suppliers, and Bridgestone conducts third-party assessments to quantify suppliers’ environmental performance, social performance, and governance. Bridgestone also promotes improvements by advising and supporting its suppliers on required solutions.

* Suppliers that supply materials directly to Bridgestone.

Consumption of natural rubber is forecasted to increase in step with rising global demand for tires. The current trend of natural rubber production demand risks to become, in the near future, the leading cause of deforestation in Southeast Asia, where the most of the world’s natural rubber is produced. It is imperative for Bridgestone to foster a sustainable natural rubber supply chain. Bridgestone embraces and recognizes sustainable natural rubber as a key issue for both the general tire industry and for Bridgestone’s own sustainable growth.

In 2025, Bridgestone supported 13,300 smallholders by utilizing the technology and knowledge accumulated through the management of its own natural rubber plantations and has accelerated its activities by setting a target of supporting 12,000 smallholders by 2026. By the end of 2025, the cumulative total achieved 24,987.

For the details of sustainable natural rubber, see “Procurement.”

The policy sets out actions to help ensure water resources are used equitably and sustainably. Specifically, Bridgestone believes achieving equitable and sustainable water use requires understanding the local water situation, improving its efforts at the local level, and maintaining water balance while complying with regulatory and internal standards.

Actions stated in the Policy:
UNDERSTAND

• Understand the local water sources, how water is used, and the balance between water withdrawal and discharge
• Understand water challenges in local communities through stakeholder engagement
• Educate employees as to the importance of solving local water challenges

IMPROVE LOCALLY

• Reduce water withdrawal and increase water-use efficiency through Bridgestone’s innovations and continuous improvement
• Improve the balance in the local water cycle in cooperation with local communities through stakeholder engagement
• Require suppliers to comply with laws and regulations regarding water, including the prevention of unlawful effluent discharge, and encourage them to identify their water risks and manage their water usage in a manner consistent with this Policy

MAINTAIN

• Strive to maintain a balance between water withdrawal and discharge
• Comply with regulatory and internal water usage and efficiency standards
• Promote stakeholder interaction through sharing water efficiency best practices and knowledge that are employed across Bridgestone’s operations

Based on the Water Stewardship Policy, Bridgestone will develop and implement specific water stewardship plans by 2030 according to each local environment, focusing on its manufacturing facilities located in water stress areas^*. In 2024, all sites in the scope completed the development of water stewardship plans. These site-based plans include the actions outlined in OUR WAY of the Water Stewardship Policy, such as “reduce water withdrawal and increase water-use efficiency.” Bridgestone will promote the implementation of the plans at their respective sites as well as develop plans for other production sites in water stress areas.

* Water stress areas: Areas with the risk of deterioration of freshwater resources in terms of quantity and quality.

Bridgestone regularly conducts water risk assessments at business sites worldwide using World Resources Institute (WRI) Aqueduct. Based on the results, we further conduct in-depth analysis by collecting local information such as the presence of past drought damage and supply capacity, and identify production sites located in water stress areas. The identified sites are relatively small within the group, with total water withdrawal volume at these sites accounting for only 3.7% of the Bridgestone group total in 2025.

When building new tire manufacturing facilities, Bridgestone conducts a risk assessment for water quality and volume to ensure efficient use of water resources and handling of wastewater are taken into consideration.

Overview of Bridgestone’s manufacturing facilities (As of December 2025)

● Manufacturing facility with high water stress

● Other manufacturing facility

The Aiken Off Road Radial Plant (U.S.) began operations in 2014 as the production base of large and ultra-large radial tires for construction and mining vehicles. In order to minimize the potential risk of business operations on water resources, Bridgestone created a drainage basin map prior to the plant’s construction. This map was created to support a preliminary assessment of the potential impact of the plant’s construction on the river basin. The risk assessment findings for water resources on and near the site were reflected in the plant’s design. As a result, Bridgestone was careful to install appropriate drainage treatment and water storage facilities, specifying a drainage system that best suited natural drainage properties. It also built drainage ditches to prevent seepage of facility wastewater into surrounding onsite wetlands even during heavy rainfall, in order to help preserve the area’s biodiversity.

In 2025, the amount of water withdrawal at Bridgestone's production sites in water stress areas was 2,259,000m³, a decrease of 3.5% from the previous year. In these sites, Bridgestone is working on developing and implementing Water Stewardship Plans based on the Water Stewardship Policy. The site-based plans may involve local stakeholders, depending on local water conditions.

To highlight a specific achievement, the Buenos Aires Plant of Bridgestone Argentina S.A.I.C (BSAR), which is located in a water stress area, reduced water withdrawal per unit of production by approximately 44% in 2025 compared to a 2005 baseline.

In 2019, the plant started a partnership with cement manufacturer Loma Negra. In this collaboration, the water discarded from BSAR is reused as raw material in Loma Negra’s cement production, resulting in a reduction in the overall amount of water withdrawal. Through this initiative, BSAR had supplied an approximate cumulative total of 58,870m³ of water by the end of 2025. BSAR is not only working on plant-related projects, but also on initiatives that contribute to water conservation in the Llavallol District of Buenos Aires. BSAR will continue promoting projects to reduce water withdrawal in the region. This partnership realizes Bridgestone's long-term vision of minimizing its footprint while enhancing its environmental contribution by reducing the impact of water discharge and water withdrawal in the water stress area.

In 2025, the Bekasi Plant in Indonesia (BSINb) launched an E‑WWTP^* installation as a second treatment unit to enhance water recycling and enable treated industrial wastewater to be reused as boiler feed water. The project enables 60% wastewater reuse, forming a closed‑loop system, and is expected to achieve a 31% reduction in total water withdrawal by 2026 compared with the 2020 baseline. This initiative demonstrates commitment to improving water efficiency and reducing dependence on freshwater sources in the region.

* Enhanced Wastewater Treatment Plant

Bridgestone has set continuous improvement of water withdrawal intensity as one of its key actions to reduce water withdrawal and improve water use efficiency through innovation and continuous improvement. As one of the activities to achieve Milestone 2030, Bridgestone is working to improve water withdrawal intensity year by year (such as 1% improvement) through the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. Regarding production sites for new tires, the water withdrawal intensity improved by 0.9% annually from 2023 to 2025.

Bridgestone’s water withdrawal is verified by LRQA Limited, a third-party institution, to ensure the accuracy and transparency of this information.

Independent Assurance Statement (237KB)

Bridgestone reuses or recycles water at manufacturing facilities worldwide. Bridgestone is also working on using water resources more efficiently and reducing water consumption by improving production processes and utilizing harvested rainwater where possible.

For example, at the Bridgestone Izmit facility in Turkey, employees identified ways to reduce the site’s dependence on groundwater. This included recovering, treating, and using rainwater and wastewater. Through these steps and an education campaign on the importance of using water wisely, the facility has cut its groundwater withdrawal by 80% absolute vs.2008. In addition, the facility has increased its recycled water usage amount five times since 2021.

Bridgestone India Private Ltd. (BSID) installed effluent treatment plants (ETP) and sewage treatment plants (STP) for the treatment of industrial and domestic wastewater. At the BSID Pune Plant, the ETP has a capacity of 400m³/day and STP 250m³/day, and BSID’s Indore Plant has an ETP capacity of 60m³/day and STP capacity of 360m³/day. After treatment, water is reused for operations (cooling tower 30m³/day) and gardening purposes inside the plant premises. All the treated water is used, covering almost 45% of the open land of the green belt in the plant premises. Thus, treated wastewater is not discharged outside the plant. All the treated water parameters are checked internally and externally by the government authority and have been found to be well below legal limits and BSID’s internal limits.

Based on the Global Environmental Standard, Bridgestone defines minimum requirements for manufacturing facilities to prevent negative environmental impact from its wastewater. Bridgestone’s manufacturing facilities take measures to comply with wastewater regulations and to prevent any spills from being discharged externally based on the standard.

Wastewater treatment systems are installed in facilities if necessary to comply with regulatory limits. Secondary containment vessels for large tanks are installed to prevent contamination of groundwater and wastewater, and/or monitoring and shut-off systems are installed to prevent any spills from being discharged externally. A global Group procedure has been established to try to prevent wastewater contamination.

In 2024, Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (BTMT) enhanced its internal water management by upgrading the wastewater treatment system and introducing a water recycling process. This initiative enables the reuse of treated water across key facilities including cooling towers, chillers and production processes, reducing the company’s reliance on industrial water supply.

The primary objective of the project is to promote the efficient use of recycled water while minimizing environmental impact and supporting cost reduction efforts. It also aligns with BTMT’s sustainability goals and its commitment to responsible resource use.

Since the implementation, BTMT has successfully reused over 139,033m³ of recycled water and treated approximately 208,747m³ of wastewater, enabling over 67% of BTMT wastewater to be reused through the water recycling process. As a result, the company has reduced its overall wastewater discharge by around 24%.

For details on examples of social contribution activities including water environment conservation, please see “Contribution related to society” in Enhancing Contribution.

Bridgestone promotes the reduction of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions as a key action under Milestone 2030. In 2025, Bridgestone achieved a 10% reduction compared to the previous year, significantly exceeding its target level of continuous improvement (approximately 1% reduction per year as a guide). Additionally, Bridgestone is working to switch to alternative chemical substances from substances with potential negative environmental impact, such as high VOC solvents, and reduce the overall amount of chemical substances used in the manufacturing process.

In particular, the Burgos Plant in Spain eliminated all cement adhesives in the production process, limiting the use of solvents for a few cases of tire repairs. Going forward, Bridgestone will continue to work to further reduce VOC usage at its business bases around the world.

Bridgestone defines continuous improvement as ongoing efforts to improve its environmental performance year by year (such as a 1% improvement) through the PDCA cycle. Continuous improvement in reducing its environmental footprint is a key action of Milestone 2030, and Bridgestone is working to reduce emissions of sulfur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) at its manufacturing facilities by shifting from heavy fuel oil to natural gas. More than 83% of fuel energy already comes from natural gas. In 2021, fuel conversion from heavy oil to city gas was completed at the Amagi Plant. In 2025, Bridgestone’s emissions of SOx totaled 471 tons for a decrease of 5.0% compared to the previous year. Additionally, its emissions of NOx totaled 1,484 tons for a decrease of 1.3% compared to the previous year.

Bridgestone considers the responsible management of hazardous chemical substances to be a core element of product stewardship and environmental responsibility. Bridgestone recognizes that chemical substances can pose potential risks to human health and the environment if not properly managed. Bridgestone not only ensures compliance with chemical regulations applicable in each country and region where it operates but also promotes a higher level of chemical management by referencing leading international standards.

Global Regulatory Compliance and Harmonized Standards

Bridgestone’s chemical management framework is built on full compliance with applicable chemical regulations in every country and region where Bridgestone operates, combined with the application of internationally recognized standards and consistent internal requirements. This approach supports the minimization of environmental impacts, protection of workers and consumer safety, and enhanced transparency across the value chain.

The commitment to ensure proper management of chemical substances at all operations and to progressively eliminate and reduce substances of concern is dictated by the Bridgestone Environmental Management Policy.

Management of Substances of Global Concern:

In addition to jurisdiction-specific requirements, Bridgestone considers internationally recognized substance categories identified under major global frameworks. These include persistent organic pollutants (POPs) regulated under the Stockholm Convention, substances with potential endocrine disrupting properties, and other chemicals with long-term environmental or human health hazards.

Where applicable, these substances are addressed through Bridgestone’s existing chemical management processes, regulatory monitoring activities, and risk-based controls, including alignment with restrictions, prohibitions, and proper disposal requirements in relevant markets.

EU – REACH Regulation:

Bridgestone maintains robust compliance processes aligned with the EU REACH Regulation for products that are manufactured in or imported into the European Union. These processes address applicable obligations related to restricted substances, substances of very high concern, and other regulatory requirements under REACH.

For products and applications not intended for the EU market, Bridgestone applies a risk‑based chemical assessment approach that considers substance hazards, potential exposure, regulatory trends, and customer and societal expectations. Based on this assessment, risk management measures may include substance reduction, substitution, or other appropriate controls. This approach supports consistent and responsible chemical management across Bridgestone’s global operations while remaining aligned with regional regulatory requirements.

• Management of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) ^*:
  

  All Bridgestone tires comply with Annex XVII PAH restrictions under REACH. These limits are applied globally across Bridgestone’s portfolio, including in non-EU markets.

  * the following eight substances: Benzo[a]pyrene, Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, Benzo[a]anthracene, Chrysen, Benzo[j]fluoranthene, Benzo[b]fluoranthene, Benzo[k]fluoranthene, and Benzo[e]pyrene

• Management of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs):
  

  Bridgestone actively monitors updates to the EU REACH Candidate List of SVHCs and conducts systematic reviews of raw materials used in its products to identify listed substances and manage related risks.

United States – TSCA:

In the United States, Bridgestone manages chemical substances in accordance with the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), including verification of regulatory status and supplier compliance.

Japan – PRTR^*1 and PCB^*2 Management:

In Japan, Bridgestone operates a chemical management system supporting reporting and compliance under the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR). Bridgestone also manages equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in accordance with Japanese regulations through strict inventory control, inspections, and planned disposal.

1. Publicly accessible database or inventory of chemicals or pollutants released to air, water and soil, and transferred off-site for treatment or disposal, reported by industrial and other facilities
2. Group of man-made organic chemicals consisting of carbon, hydrogen and chlorine atoms. The number of chlorine atoms and their location in a PCB molecule determine many of its physical and chemical properties. PCBs have no known taste or smell, and range in consistency from an oil to a waxy solid.

Industry Collaboration:

Bridgestone engages with key industry associations to support responsible chemical management and to stay informed of regulatory and scientific developments. Bridgestone is an active member of Tyres Europe (formerly ETRMA), the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA), and the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA).
Through these associations, Bridgestone participates in chemical related and environmental working groups, contributing technical expertise, sharing best practices, and supporting industry wide understanding of emerging chemical regulations and substance related risks. This external engagement complements Bridgestone’s internal chemical management systems and supports informed, consistent, and forward looking approaches to chemical stewardship across regions.

Bridgestone recognizes that the regulatory landscape and societal expectations related to chemical substances continue to evolve. Bridgestone therefore remains committed to strengthening its chemical management practices through robust governance, risk based decision making, regulatory compliance, and engagement with industry and other stakeholders.
By maintaining effective management systems, monitoring emerging scientific and regulatory developments, and applying consistent standards across regions, Bridgestone aims to responsibly manage chemical substances throughout the product lifecycle and contribute to the protection of human health and the environment.

Bridgestone is pursuing the transition to alternatives for chemical substances that pose a concern for the environment, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and lead, while at the same time continually working to reduce the use of such substances. One example is the switch to alternatives for tetrachloroethylene, contained in adhesives used to bond rubber to metal—Bridgestone eliminated the use of this substance entirely in 2008. Regarding lead, Bridgestone has developed a manufacturing method that completely eliminated the use of lead at its steel cord plants and also switched to a different adhesive at its diversified products plants, achieving substantial reductions. Bridgestone will continue to set new targets and pursue further reductions.

Development of Degradable Biopolymer

Bridgestone is participating in research supporting the Development of Multi-lock Biopolymers Degradable in Ocean from Non-food Biomass, a Moonshot Research and Development Project coordinated by Japan’s Cabinet Office with participation by the University of Tokyo, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Kureha Corporation, Kyushu University, Nagoya University, Yamagata University, the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE), the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Ehime University, and the Tokyo Institute of Technology. In this project, Bridgestone will introduce a multi-lock mechanism into the decomposition process of polymeric materials to avoid the tradeoff between degradability and durability. State-of-the-art polymer technologies such as supramolecular, self-healing, and dynamic cross-linking technologies are deployed to conserve the natural ecosystem. Targeting the undersea degradation of difficult-to-recover plastics and persistent materials, Bridgestone will introduce a multi-lock mechanism that combines degradability and durability to achieve a fully controlled degradation process. In addition, by using inedible biomass as the raw material for development, CO₂ emissions reductions will be achieved at the same time.