Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber’s new policy framework, which was approved in the recently general assembly, will provide a clear framework for GPSNR company members to establish/ update supply chain commitments through their natural rubber purchasing policies.

It covers specifies key commitment details to no deforestation/conversion/degradation, upholding human rights, supply chain transparency and monitoring and reporting.

Members who joined GPSNR before the GPSNR General Assembly 2020 will be expected to have policies or other documents aligned with these requirements within 6 months after adoption by the General Assembly. Members who join after the GPSNR General Assembly 2020 will be expected to align with these policies within 6 months of joining GPSNR.

aModeled around the Platform’s 12 Principles of Sustainable Natural Rubber, the new policy framework sets out eight overarching themes that include commitments to legal compliance, community livelihoods, healthy, functioning ecosystems (including no deforestation), and respecting all human rights.

“This is a tremendous milestone for the Platform and for the natural rubber industry. In just under two years, GPSNR members developed and approved concrete policy commitments for companies to integrate into their sustainable natural rubber policies. Today, and despite the challenges we all faced during this global pandemic, GPSNR members send a signal to the world about their commitment to achieving a fair, equitable and environmentally sound future” said GPSNR Director Stefano Savi.

Around 85% of the world’s natural rubber is produced by smallholders. In order to transform a sector that is primarily reliant on smallholder producers, GPSNR is embracing smallholder inclusivity and a concept of shared responsibility through the establishment of a Shared Responsibility Working Group, which will identify how the responsibilities and costs of implementation can be equitably distributed across all stakeholder categories, with the understanding that smallholders should not carry the burden of a higher cost to implement sustainability activities in complying with the policy or implementation guidance to be developed.

“Smallholders are a crucial link in the natural rubber value chain, and they have a key role to play in driving awareness on-the-ground and setting the global agenda for sustainable natural rubber” remarked Director Savi.

This year, GPSNR welcomed 28 smallholder members from seven rubber-producing countries. These smallholders now constitute a newly approved standalone category and play an equal role in decision-making within GPSNR alongside the other four categories: producers, processors, and traders; tire manufacturers and other natural rubber makers/buyers; car manufacturers, other downstream users and financial institutions; and civil society.

GPSNR’s virtual General Assembly drew more than 120 attendees, including members of the Platform, partners and invited guests. In addition to voting on resolutions, GPSNR members also elected representatives to the 2020-2021 Executive Committee, which comprises representatives from each of the membership categories. And for the first time, three newly elected smallholder producers with diverse geographical backgrounds will participate in Executive Committee discussions and decision-making.

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Synthos, recognised as Europe’s foremost synthetic rubber producer and a global leader in solution styrene butadiene rubber, has secured the EcoVadis Gold Medal once again. The company, also a top European manufacturer of expanded polystyrene, continues to rank among the world’s most sustainable businesses.

The 2026 assessment placed Synthos in the 97th percentile, with its highest marks received in labour rights, human rights, ethics and environmental stewardship. This achievement underscores steady advancement across multiple sustainability fronts and highlights a sustained dedication to responsible expansion and continuous innovation.

EcoVadis operates as a premier global evaluator of corporate sustainability, judging firms on environmental impact, social responsibility, ethical conduct and supply chain management using international standards. The Gold Medal’s annual renewal demands that Synthos consistently remain within the top three percent of all rated companies worldwide.

This recognition affirms that Synthos’ sustainability measures are both persistent and methodical. The company supports its long-range climate and circular economy goals through participation in the UN Global Compact and reporting aligned with ESRS and GRI standards. Synthos will keep leveraging EcoVadis feedback to refine future priorities and advance its ongoing sustainability journey.

Agata Gładysz-Stańczyk, CEO, Synthos, said, “Receiving the EcoVadis Gold Medal again confirms the importance of sustainability within our strategy and the commitment of Synthos teams across all locations. While we are proud of this achievement, we also see sustainability as a continuous journey. It is embedded in how we innovate, how we operate, and how we create value for our customers, employees, partners and communities. This recognition encourages us to continue strengthening our ambitions and driving further progress.”

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The Rubber Board Statistics Consultative Panel reviewed the performance of India’s natural rubber sector during its 29th meeting at the Rubber Board Headquarters in Kottayam. The panel, which includes representatives from small and large growers, producers’ societies, dealers, processors and tyre manufacturers, examined key indicators such as production, consumption, imports and exports. India remains the sixth-largest natural rubber producer globally.

Indian natural rubber production grew by 3.4 percent in the 2025-26 period, rising to 905,000 tonnes from 875,000 tonnes the previous year. Favourable weather across major rubber-growing regions increased tapping days and productivity. Board initiatives like rain guarding, self-tapping, scientific practices, skill programmes and disease control supported output, while Kerala’s Rubber Production Incentive Scheme also encouraged continued tapping.

Domestic natural rubber prices strengthened, renewing grower interest in tapping. Prices that rose sharply in 2024–25 showed relative stability in 2025–26, narrowing the gap with international rates. The trend continued into early 2026, with RSS-4 peaking at INR 262 per kg on 14 May. Meanwhile, total natural rubber demand rose 1.2 percent, though the auto tyre sector, accounting for nearly 64 percent of consumption, declined by 4.0 percent. The general rubber goods sector posted robust growth instead.

The panel noted a 16.7 percent decline in natural rubber imports, falling to 459,000 tonnes from 551,000 tonnes. However, imports of compounded rubber under HS Code 4005 increased significantly, reaching 349,000 tonnes from 245,000 tonnes in the previous year. Consumption of natural rubber rose 1.2 percent to 1,427,000 tonnes from 1,410,000 tonnes in 2024-25.

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Pyrum Innovations AG has secured unlimited delivery approval from Continental for its ThermoTireBlack (TTB), a recovered carbon black produced at the company’s new milling and pelletising facility in Dillingen/Saar. Following the approval, Continental officially commissioned all units tied to the plant expansion at Pyrum’s main site.

The milling and pelletising plant shifted to regular production in April 2026, operating at a capacity of 750 kilogrammes per hour. A short-term capability analysis conducted by Pyrum confirmed that ThermoTireBlack delivers consistent process conditions and stable, reproducible quality. After a subsequent audit, Continental granted full supply approval, specifically praising the new machine’s excellent short-term performance metric (Ppk).

This latest approval for TTB follows previous clearances granted in 2024 for the shredding plant and the TAD2 and TAD3 thermolysis reactors, giving Pyrum complete supply approval for its Dillingen/Saar facility. Through added improvement measures, the company expects to reach the target maximum TTB production volume after a planned modification in the third quarter of 2026, significantly expanding capacity and strengthening Pyrum’s role as an industrial raw material producer and pyrolysis technology leader.

Pascal Klein, CEO, Pyrum Innovations AG, said, “Continental’s unlimited delivery approval for our new milling and pelletising plant is a major milestone for Pyrum. It confirms not only the consistently high quality of our ThermoTireBlack but also the industrial maturity of our entire production chain. We are proud to meet the automotive industry’s high standards and to further expand our close and trusting partnership with Continental. With the approval of the new plant, we are laying the foundation for further growth and a significant increase in revenue in the current year.”

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The German Rubber Industry Association (wdk) has sounded an alarm over an exceptionally difficult economic situation facing the rubber sector. Soaring raw material prices and persistently high energy costs, exacerbated by the Iran war, are coinciding with weak industrial demand. wdk Chief economist Michael Berthel noted an almost unprecedented economic disparity, as raw material costs approach historical highs from 2011 and 2022 while a lack of demand prevents any offset for manufacturers.

Since the final quarter of 2025, prices for key inputs have risen sharply. Natural rubber has jumped more than 40 percent within months, while butadiene-based synthetic rubbers have increased over 30 percent. EPDM synthetic rubber, carbon black and oil-based plasticisers have all risen more than 20 percent, with some individual chemicals exceeding 40 percent cost growth in just a few weeks.

Energy prices remain a major burden, with Middle East developments fuelling market uncertainty. Risks to international transport and supply chains persist, and German rubber companies are closely watching potential impacts on raw material availability and global logistics flows.

Berthel warned that firms face mounting pressure from high costs, geopolitical instability and structural disadvantages in Germany, with no short-term relief in sight. The industry depends heavily on fair and reliable partnerships across the value chain, as processing companies alone cannot absorb the current strain. He called for fair solutions and a shared understanding of this exceptional situation.

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