Environmental Management System

• E ●
• S -
• G -

• Our Principle of Environmental Management
• Environmental Management System
• Eco-First Commitments
• Third-party audits and Internal Audits of Environmental Management
• Initiatives to Reduce Environmental Impact
• Number of Environmental Accidents and Pollution and Other Incidents That Resulted in Fines or Other Punitive Measures
• Status of Ongoing Assessment of Environmental Load Substances
• Environmental Reports Issued by Overseas Sites

Our Principle of Environmental Management

• The Sumitomo Rubber Group

Environmental Management System

• The Sumitomo Rubber Group

System of Implementing Measures for Important Themes

The Sumitomo Rubber Group has set up subcommittees under the Sustainability Promotion Committee, which are collectively called Sustainability Promotion Working Groups, with the approval of the committee, to address environmental issues such as climate change, natural capital, and circular economy. Each working group, consisting of management and member divisions, is responsible for planning and promoting activities and reporting to the Sustainability Promotion Committee and the management team, etc.

Risk Management in Sustainability Activities Including Environment

Sustainability-related risks that may materially and adversely affect our business activities shall be addressed by each of the relevant divisions and/or subsidiaries in advance, through the analysis of those risks and the planning of countermeasures in accordance with the Regulations Concerning Risk Control, which define risk management methods for the entire Sumitomo Rubber Group. These risks shall then be referred to the Management Meeting and other bodies for discussion. In addition, the management team monitors and reviews the themes that they believe are especially important in reducing burdens on society and the environment in the Company’s supply chain as well as the global supply chain. The results are reported to the Board of Directors.

ISO14001 Certification

(As of December 2023)

* Due to the sale of all shares of Lonstroff AG, a Swiss subsidiary that manufactures medical rubber parts, to a Dutch investment fund, the Swiss and Slovenian plants are excluded from the list of locations after February 2024. In addition, Sumitomo Rubber USA, LLC was excluded in December 2024 due to the decision to terminate production and dissolve the subsidiary.

Acquiring ISO 50001 Certification

The Sumitomo Rubber Group has obtained certification for ISO 50001, an international standard for systematic energy management systems that supports the continuous improvement of energy performance. The four sites; the Changshu, Hunan, Brazil and Turkey factories have obtained ISO 50001 certification.

ISO 50001 Certification

Eco-First Commitments

Eco-First Program

What Are Eco-First Commitments?

Third-party audits and Internal Audits of Environmental Management

• The Sumitomo Rubber Group

Every year, the Sumitomo Rubber Group undergoes third-party audits provided by a certification body, while employees qualified as internal auditors conduct internal audits at each business base. Moreover, since fiscal 2009, auditors from the Head Office of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. have performed corporate audits of Group manufacturing bases at home and abroad once a year in principle.
In addition, third-party audits undertaken in fiscal 2023 revealed that all business bases earned favorable ratings, enabling them to renew Global Multi-Site Certification for ISO14001: 2015.
Moreover, no serious violations of environment-related laws and regulations were detected via external examinations or internal audits.

Initiatives to Reduce Environmental Impact

• The Sumitomo Rubber Group

Initiatives Related to TRWP^*1

Tires are the only components in a vehicle that contact the road surface. For tires to run (start moving), turn, and stop while supporting the load of a vehicle, friction between tires and the road surface is physically inevitable. TRWP refers to tire and road wear particles generated by such friction, and is a mixture of tire tread materials and road pavement materials.
Many are still unknown as to TRWP’s characteristics and its possible impact on the environment. We recognize that it is highly important that we clarify them and reduce its impact on the environment.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries is one of the founding members of the WBCSD’s^*2 TIP,^*3 an industry association consisting of 10 global tire manufacturers. We have been involved in activities such as research and studies on TRWP, the establishment of evaluation methods, and dialogues with stakeholders. In addition to tackling the issue of TRWP, the TIP currently strives to address universal sustainability concerns of the tire industry such as the management of waste tires, the handling of raw materials, and their chemical substance content and environmental KPIs.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries is also a member of the JATMA^*4 and JRMA^*5, working on the development of ISO standards related to the assessment of TRWP and other efforts.

*1 Tire and Road Wear Particles
*2 World Business Council for Sustainable Development
*3 Tire Industry Project
*4 The Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association, Inc.
*5 The Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association

Handling of Anti-Degradant for Tires (6PPD)

6PPD (N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N’-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine) is an anti-degradant used widely in the tire industry. In recent years, an article that suggests that 6PPD-quinone formed when 6PPD reacts with oxygen or ozone in the air is harmful to some aquatic organisms was published. Triggered by the publication, the process for regulating 6PPD is currently underway in the U.S. Meanwhile, 6PPD itself plays an important role in preventing cracks in tires produced when rubber reacts with oxygen or ozone in the environment to retard deterioration from aging. As such, 6PPD is essential for tires to fully demonstrate their performance and for customers to use tires with a sense of safety for many years. Currently, the tire industry as a whole is examining the possible replacement with alternative technologies as well as developing/evaluating alternative products. The Company has joined in promoting such industry-wide initiatives.

Reducing Microplastic Dispersion

Artificial turf used in sporting facilities is now considered a possible source of microplastic^*1 dispersion into rivers and the sea, as, with use over time, turf fibers break and the rubber chips used as fillers may leak, spreading into the environment.
Since 2020, the Company has worked to confirm the status of microplastic dispersion and to develop materials and products designed to robustly curb microplastic dispersion. Thus far, countermeasures such as the installation of outer perimeter fences around artificial turf and filtering materials in drainage conduits have proven effective. These measures are highlighted on the website of the Ministry of the Environment^*2 and are also featured in the guidelines on preventing microplastic dispersion issued by Osaka Prefecture^*3 and Tama City, Tokyo^*4.

*1 Small pieces of plastic that have a diameter less than 5 mm
*2 https://plastics-smart.env.go.jp/microplastics#case-study-1 (Japanese only)
*3 https://www.pref.osaka.lg.jp/documents/806/jinkoshiba_gl_10_1.pdf (Japanese only)
*4 https://www.city.tama.lg.jp/map/sports/tennis/1003856.html (Japanese only)

Number of Environmental Accidents and Pollution and Other Incidents That Resulted in Fines or Other Punitive Measures

Status of Ongoing Assessment of Environmental Load Substances

• The Sumitomo Rubber Group

The Sumitomo Rubber Group has been continuously monitoring and managing various environmental load substances generated by its business activities to prevent their environmental impact.

Status of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Other than CO₂

Other than CO₂, the Sumitomo Rubber Group’s GHG emissions consist of methane, dinitrogen monoxide, fluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride. As for fluorocarbons, we conduct the maintenance and periodic inspection of relevant equipment in accordance with the Act for Rational Use and Proper Management of Fluorocarbons while regularly calculating the volume of activities and leakage. With regard to the mandatory reporting of the calculated amount of leaked fluorocarbons, no applicable incident occurred during fiscal 2023.

PCB^*1-Containing Equipment

The Sumitomo Rubber Group keeps equipment with PCB content, such as transformers, condensers, and stabilizers, at domestic factories in a way that complies with the Act on Special Measures concerning Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes^*2. The Group also reports them to administrative authorities.
In 2023, we disposed of six stabilizers with PCB content.
As of the end of 2023, equipment with PCB content kept by the Group consisted of 35 stabilizers and seven devices with low-concentration PCB, including transformers.
Of these, the three stabilizers and five devices with low-concentration PCB were disposed of in January 2024. As for the remaining two devices with low-concentration PCB, we will systematically work to complete their disposal by the March 31, 2027 deadline.

*1 Generic term for polychlorinated biphenyl. PCB is hardly water-soluble and chemically stable while boasting good insulation properties. Because of these features, PCB has been used as an insulation oil for use in transformers, condensers and other devices. However, it is now confirmed that PCB is hazardous to human health as well as the environment. Moreover, because it resists decomposition, residual PCB is known to remain in diverse areas of the environment.
*2 Enforced in 2001 and revised in 2012 and 2016.

Substances Related to Soil and Water Pollution

Soil and Water Pollution at the Kakogawa Factory (follow-up reporting)

In October 2004, we reported to Kakogawa City on the result of our voluntary investigations that tetrachloroethylene and other hazardous substances in soil on the Kakogawa Factory’s premises were found to exceed statutory environmental standards. We also hosted meetings for the neighborhood. Since then, we have been striving to counter the pollution by removing the contaminated soil, purifying contaminated groundwater, and implementing bio-purification measures to invigorate indigenous soil microorganisms.
We have continued the follow-up investigations and have confirmed that pollutants have not been dispersed outside the factory’s premises. The value measured at the first monitoring point since 2015 has been stable at less than 0.01 mg/l. We added the new monitoring point in an adjoining polluted area in 2016. We continue to periodically monitor the groundwater to constantly monitor the status of pollution by sampling.

Tetrachloroethylene Concentration Measured via Sampling from the Groundwater Wells (continuous monitoring points)

The benchmarking value: 0.01 mg/l or lower

Environmental Reports Issued by Overseas Sites

• The Sumitomo Rubber Group

The Sumitomo Rubber Group’s overseas manufacturing sites issue environmental reports on their own. These environmental reports disclose data regarding the environmental footprints of our activities including targets and results, social contribution, and other matters.

* Following the sale of all shares in the Switzerland-based subsidiary, Lonstroff AG, which manufactures rubber parts for medical applications, to a Dutch investment fund, the factories in Switzerland and Slovenia are excluded from the sites list since 2024.

Changshu Factory and Hunan Factory, China 2024

Download full text（10,283KB）

Indonesia Factory 2024

Download full text（1,481KB）

Thailand Factory 2024

Download full text（5,246KB）

Brazil Factory 2024

Download full text（21,056KB）

Zhongshan Factory, China 2024

Download full text（2,446KB）

Vietnam Factory 2024

Download full text（1,835KB）

Thailand Factory (tennis balls) 2024

Download full text（2,562KB）

Philippines Factory 2024

Download full text（2,330KB）

Malaysia Factory 2024

Download full text（2,146KB）

South Africa Factory 2024

Download full text（1,544KB）

Turkey Factory 2024

Download full text（3,055KB）

Thailand Factory (natural rubber processing) 2024

Download full text（5,921KB）