Toyo Tire & Rubber : Tires Supports Initiative to Achieve Sustainable Natural Rubber Economy

Osaka, Japan - 16 June, 2016 - Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. (Takashi Shimizu, president) announced it will voluntarily support and participate in the Sustainable Natural Rubber Initiative (SNR-i), an effort put forward by the International Rubber Study Group ('IRSG') to ensure the sustainability of natural rubber as a resource.

With society expressing growing concern about environmental conservation and human rights, this initiative aims to achieve a sustainable natural rubber economy that equally benefits the entire natural rubber supply chain across the economy, environment and society. IRSG launched this initiative and established the following five guidelines covering the entire spectrum of the natural rubber supply chain from production to consumption, while supporting enterprises and organizations will promote voluntary activities and ongoing improvements that contribute to these objectives.

1. Supporting improvement of productivity
2. Enhancing natural rubber quality
3. Supporting forest sustainability
4. Water management
5. Respect for human and labor rights

As a tire manufacturer that uses natural rubber, Toyo Tires voluntarily declares its support of the above objectives and participation in the initiative.

The Toyo Tires Group has established 'Collaboration with business partners' as a priority theme of its CSR policy, and has formulated 'Toyo Tires Group CSR Procurement Guidelines,' which it shares with its partners. Participation in SNR-i will strengthen the company's CSR initiatives across the entire supply chain while contributing to the achievement of a sustainable natural rubber economy.
*The International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) is an inter-governmental organization composed of rubber producing and consuming stakeholders.