Social | Community
Activities related to disaster prevention and relief

Heavy rains in spring 2024 caused extreme flooding in southern Brazil. By June 2024, official data from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the worst-hit state, reported 173 deaths, 38 missing persons, 423,486 displaced individuals, 18,854 people living in shelters, and 806 injured people. Bridgestone employees in Sao Paulo collected and delivered bottled water, food, and clothing to business partners affected by the disaster, in addition to making a financial contribution of BRL50,000 to support recovery and cleanup efforts.

On September 26, 2024, Category 4 Hurricane Helene made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida. High winds and heavy rainfall destroyed lives and homes and interrupted business operations. Bridgestone employees delivered fuel to manufacturing plants that lost power to provide power to employees sheltering in place. Employees also donated food, bottled water, and clothing in addition to the Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund making a USD30,000 contribution to support recovery and cleanup efforts.

In response to the recent Michaung Cyclone that wreaked havoc in Andhra Pradesh, Bridgestone India (BSID) rallied its forces to provide crucial aid to affected communities in collaboration with local NGOs. Its commitment goes beyond financial support, with active participation from dedicated employees.

Relief measures focused on the districts of Nellore and Tirupati, where the impact of the cyclone was deeply felt. Relief efforts were aimed at supporting those hit hardest by the cyclone such as waste pickers, sanitary workers, and manual scavengers, making a difference in their lives.

More than 12 employees volunteered, actively engaging in relief operations. Their hands-on involvement exemplifies Bridgestone’s dedication to being more than just a corporate entity, playing an active role as an integral part of the community.

BSID distributed survival kits to 1,000 families, covering a population of more than 4,000 people. The survival kits contain essential items, directly addressing the immediate needs of those affected.

Bridgestone Tire Indonesia (BSIN)'s water rescue team was put through its paces in a training session with the SAGARA Karawang team, a local disaster prevention organization. This training is vital because the most frequent disaster response required in the Karawang and Bekasi areas is to assist with floods. The two-day training includes disaster management, medical first responder training, water assistance, evacuation techniques, first-aid practices, rescue RTRGT (Reach, Throw, Row, Go, Tow/Carry), sea survival, and a disaster-response simulation. The team is fully prepared to deliver vital help to communities.

The Bridgestone Tire Indonesia (BSIN) water rescue team (and their training) is vital in the Karawang and Bekasi areas, due to the high frequency of flooding disasters. Around 15 school units, 14 health centers, and 1,699 housing units were damaged following a 6.6 magnitude earthquake that struck the Pandeglang Regency in Indonesia on January 14, 2022.

Flooding that followed heavy rainfall in March 2022 further exacerbated recovery efforts in the area, and many households were impacted. BSIN activated its Search and Rescue Team which, together with the General Affairs and CSR team, aided the local community. The group assisted the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), including 100 basic food packages, two boats, two outboard engines, and safety jackets, as well as 60 signboards to inform people of evacuation routes and assembly points. Food donations were extended to victims who had not yet received assistance from the government or other parties. The total contribution amount BSIN made to the flood relief was IDR76,818,000 (approximately USD4,886).

In February and March 2023, BSIN stepped forward to support local communities – and affected employees – in response to the floods in Bekasi and Karawang. The BSIN rescue team and labor union assisted with food supplies and post-flood cleanups.

BSIN lived up to its reputation for stepping forward in times of crisis for local communities—as well as looking after employees—with its rapid response to two natural disasters. Following the February floods in Bekasi and Karawang, more than 150 employees at the local plants received support including food supplies and assistance in post-flood cleanups from the BSIN rescue team and labor unions.

As a preventive measure to reduce flooding in the community around the Bekasi Plant, BSIN partners twice a year with the local community to carry out waterway cleaning activities.

Staff from Bridgestone embarked on a project called We Move to Help Valencia, focusing on addressing the impact of a natural disaster that struck Valencia at the end of October 2024, caused by Storm Dana. The storm affected many people and a lot of infrastructure. In implementing this project, Bridgestone embraced agile management to provide a swift response. Actions included:

• Donation of urgently needed agricultural and off-the-road tires. Bridgestone provided specialized off-road and agricultural tires to a number of customers.
  
• Financial aid was collected through a donation website in collaboration with the Red Cross. Employees and the company donated over EUR50,000. The Red Cross used the donations to aid areas affected by Storm Dana.
  
• Collection of essential supplies (rain boots, clothing, and milk) at the Madrid offices, in collaboration with customer ONTIME, which took charge of logistics for employee donations. In addition to employee donations, Bridgestone EMEA Headquarters also contributed 80 pairs of boots.
  
• Four Bridgestone volunteers with deep connections to the region helped clean up mud and assisted with logistics to distribute essential products to affected areas.
  

In January 2024, a major earthquake with a maximum seismic intensity of 7 (magnitude 7.6) occurred with its epicenter in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan, and the area was subsequently struck by a tsunami exceeding five meters. The earthquake and tsunami caused extensive damage.

Bridgestone quickly launched a variety of support activities to assist victims and restore and rebuild affected areas. It donated JPY10 million to the Japanese Red Cross Society and other organizations, allocated JPY500,000 from the “BSmile” employee donation fund, and further collected about JPY3 million through a joint giving campaign for employees.

Bridgestone also delivered disaster supplies to the affected areas, as well as provided winter tire and wheel sets as part of its support for ground transportation, guided by its principle that "tires carry life." It also donated puncture-resistant tires for ambulances and fire command vehicles, and lent service cars capable of repairing tire punctures, an essential aspect of recovery and reconstruction, to tire shops that were damaged.

Bridgestone's seismic isolator also made a significant contribution to the continuity of medical care during the earthquake. Some of the major hospitals in the Noto Peninsula region close to the epicenter have seismic isolation structures that use Bridgestone's Seismic Isolating Rubber Bearing. These buildings were able to maintain medical functions without sustaining damage. As a result, they were able to respond to emergency surgeries in the wake of the earthquake, helping to save lives in the area.

Leveraging its various strengths, Bridgestone will continue working in these ways to contribute to local communities.

Supporting the Japan University of Economics' support program for refugee students from Ukraine and other international students, Bridgestone is offering internships with the aim of providing humanitarian assistance and work experience. Launched in 2022, the program was held for the fourth time in February 2025, as the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine persists. A total of 29 students have participated in the work experience program over the past four years.

This initiative has given students a foundation for career development and an opportunity to plan for the future. Meanwhile, the students have brought new perspectives and insights to Bridgestone.

Bridgestone sincerely hopes for the return of peace and safety as quickly as possible.