Pirelli is the first company to produce FSC-certified tires. This sustainability milestone demonstrates that an FSC-certified value chain, from smallholder-owned rubber plantations to consumers, is possible for natural rubber used in auto tires.
A major breakthrough for sustainability has been achieved by Pirelli with the introduction of the world’s first FSC-certified tire. The new Pirelli P ZERO tire, which will be equipped on the BMW X5 Plug-In Hybrid model, uses FSC-certified natural rubber and rayon as well as other materials.
Natural rubber is a basic material for many everyday products, such as rubber boots or mattresses. About six million smallholders worldwide are responsible for 80 per cent of the world’s natural rubber production. They operate small farms of one to two hectares in size and under a wide variety of conditions in the so-called rubber belt in tropical regions. Addressing the social, environmental, and economic needs of these millions of smallholder farms is a major challenge. The implementation of FSC certification for natural rubber plantations, forests and chain of custody contributes to resolving this challenge by supporting responsible and sustainable natural rubber production.
FSC has already made considerable progress in certifying the natural rubber value chain for various consumer sectors. A variety of products are available on the market today that contain FSC-certified natural rubber including gloves, footwear, mattresses, pillows, yoga mats, and balloons; FSC certification gives an assurance that natural rubber in these products is sourced from forests or plantations with safe working conditions, and without deforestation or other environmental damage.
The tire sector consumes roughly 70 per cent of natural rubber production, thereby offering the potential to play a crucial role in sustainable sourcing; however, FSC-certification in this sector had not been achieved until now. Therefore, with the launch of the first FSC-certified tire, Pirelli and the BMW Group have initiated a significant step in the sustainable transformation of the natural rubber value chain.
Giovanni Tronchetti Provera, Pirelli’s Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Future Mobility, added: “Before even reaching the road, sustainable mobility begins with raw materials. With the world’s first FSC-certified tire, Pirelli once again demonstrates its commitment to pursuing increasingly challenging goals in terms of sustainability, a testament to the constant work on innovative materials and increasingly cutting-edge production processes. We continue to invest in sustainable growth for our planet, aware that this is also essential for the future of our businesses.”
After several years, the BMW Group’s wish to source an FSC-certified tire has become a reality through the certification of Pirelli’s supply chain, which includes smallholder-owned rubber plantations. “As a premium manufacturer, we aspire to lead the way in sustainability and take responsibility,” said Dr. Andreas Wendt, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network. “We have been committed to improving cultivation of natural rubber and increasing transparency in the supplier network since 2015. The use of tires made of certified natural rubber is a pioneering achievement for our industry. In this way, we are helping preserve biodiversity and forests to counteract climate change.”
FSC celebrates the sustainability leadership shown in this case, which represents a new horizon towards increasingly sustainable tire production and looks forward to driving a wider transformation across the industry.