Merely reducing the raw material consumption (Action 1) and using recycled resources (Action 2) will not be enough to ensure a reliable supply of products and services needed to meet the continuously increasing global demand. By further expanding and diversifying the renewable resources it uses to make its products (Action 3), the Bridgestone Group can help build a truly sustainable society.
The approach to using sustainable materials is based on the assumption of striking a balance with the Earth’s resource capacity, and the notion that simply switching from non-renewable materials to plant-derived renewable resources is not enough. Taking natural rubber as an example, the Group is working to diversify its renewable material resources by developing guayule and other new natural rubber sources, while working on improving the productivity of cultivated rubber trees, which is currently the primary source of natural rubber used for tires.
By helping boost the productivity of small farms (see Enhancing contribution for details), as well as by both improving productivity and diversifying its current supply sources through innovative technological development, the Group is working to ensure the future sustainability of its sources.