Xingda has become the first Chinese steel cord and bead wire maker to release a sustainability report.

The sustainability report 2021 details the goals, plans, actions and latest progress of its key sustainability initiatives, such as green products, circular economy and low-carbon operation, with key information.

With "Sustainable and High-quality Development" as the core and responsible operation as the foundation, Xingda will deliver high-quality, innovative and green products and solutions, promote green transformation of the industry, and contribute to the social development and community prosperity. 

Four major areas of sustainable development:

 Green products and solutions 

 Sustainable supply chain 

 Shared social values 

 Robust operation model 

Seven substantive topics and progress of sustainable development：

1. Green products

 By 2025, increase the proportion of green products in total sales to 30% 

Progress in 2021: ST/UT tyre cord products accounted for 28% of total sales. The ST/UT tyre cords can reduce tyre weight, lower rolling resistance, and prolong tyre service life.

2. Tackling climate change

 By 2025, reduce carbon emission per unit of product by 18% in comparison to 2020

 By 2025, reduce energy consumption per unit of product by 14% in comparison to 2020

 By 2025, achieve a 30% green energy ratio

Progress in 2021:

a) Carbon emission per unit of product of Jiangsu base was 1.42 tons of CO2e, down 3.73% year- on-year 

b) Energy consumption per unit of product was 1.43 MWH/ton , down 1.38% year on year Meanwhile, energy consumption per unit of product of the Jiangsu base in 2021 dropped by 2.69% from 2020 

c) Approved the CAPEX of 7.6MW rooftop solar power station, with an expected annual electricity generation up to 8 million kWh 

3. Circular economy

 By 2030, raise the proportion of recycled steel to 40% 

Progress in 2021: The purchased steel wire rod contained 18.50% recycled steel 

4. Responsible procurement

 By 2025, include 100% of Xingda’s suppliers in sustainability assessment

Progress in 2021: 11.48% of suppliers finished environmental and social evaluation, while the evaluation ratio of major raw material and auxiliary product suppliers was 90.9% 

5. Community and human capital development

 By 2025, provide on average 40 hours of vocational training for each employee per year 

Progress in 2021: Employees received 34 hours of training on average 

6. Compliance and business ethics

 By 2025, provide business ethics trainings for 100% of our employees and suppliers 

Progress in 2021: 857 employees (11% in total) received anti-corruption training

7. Sustainability governance

 Continuously improve information transparency and capital market performance

Progress in 2021:

a) Xingda established Sustainable and High-Quality Development Strategy Committee and the Xingda International Green Vanguard Team 

b) Released Xingda's first sustainability report 

c) Achieved score B for CDP Climate Change Questionnaire rating and won Bronze Medal for Ecovadis rating 

Along with the report, Xingda also shared the current status of its pioneering ‘from tyre, back to tyre’ project, in which steel cord and bead wire shall be recycled from used tyres to make wire rod and then new steel cord and bead wire, so as to achieve a true circular economy. At present, Xingda is working closely with tyre recyclers, steel makers and tyre makers to assess the technical feasibility of such cycle, and look to conclude the assessment in the coming months before moving to the mass trial phase. Once completed, it will mark one of the greatest breakthroughs the industry has seen in recent years and offer a remarkable boost to the quest for circular economy by tyre makers around the globe.  

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Hi-Green Carbon Limited has achieved a significant milestone in its sustainability operations by securing the prestigious ISCC EU Certification. This globally recognised endorsement highlights the company's adherence to rigorous international standards for environmental responsibility and supply chain integrity.

The certification verifies full compliance across the entire production process, from sourcing to delivery, emphasising traceability and operational transparency. It specifically validates the sustainable production of the company's key outputs, including recovered carbon black (rCB) and tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO). This accomplishment underscores Hi-Green Carbon’s commitment to circular economy principles and positions it as a leader in the production of sustainable industrial materials.

The company statement read: “This milestone not only strengthens our sustainability commitment but also deepens our collaboration with you, our valued clients and partners. With ISCC-certified products, you can have greater confidence in the environmental integrity and long-term sustainability of your supply chain, supporting your own green initiatives and carbon-reduction goals. We extend our sincere gratitude to our clients, partners, and team members for their consistent support and trust. Together, we are driving positive change and contributing to a cleaner, greener, and more circular future.”

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Bekaert has launched a sustainability label, inhera, to identify its top-performing solutions designed to help customers accelerate progress towards net-zero targets. The label is applied to products that meet defined criteria, including alignment with the EU Taxonomy Regulation, carbon-emission reduction, improved resource efficiency and support for circularity. Eight solutions currently carry the label.

The company said the initiative responds to rising expectations for transparency and credible sustainability claims. It presents inhera as a means of offering clearer information on the impact of its solutions across sectors including construction, automotive and energy.

The name reflects Bekaert’s stated commitment to integrating sustainability across its operations. Ann-Françoise Versele, Vice-President Sustainability, said: “Sustainability is inherent in everything we do at Bekaert. Through our products and processes, we aim to leave a legacy of sustainability for future generations. Our partners who choose inhera solutions are choosing to accelerate sustainability and create real impact.”

The eight labelled solutions include Ampact copper magnet wire for high-voltage electric-motor stators, which the company says delivers a 10 per cent reduction in direct CO₂ emissions. Flexisteel hoist ropes for elevators are designed to cut daily energy use by up to 36 per cent compared with traditional steel ropes.

Elyta Ultra and Mega Tensile tyre reinforcements provide up to 16 per cent CO₂ savings per tyre and support circular reuse. High-tensile steel cores for overhead power lines reduce steel consumption by more than 30 per cent.

Bezinal Vineyard Plus coatings, made with low-carbon raw materials, deliver more than 50 per cent CO₂ reduction and 14 percent lower life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions. Bezinox non-magnetic armouring wire for submarine power cables is engineered to extend cable life and reduce operating temperatures.

Next-generation hose-wire reinforcement uses 28 per cent less wire and 5 per cent less rubber per hose, resulting in up to 70 percent lower CO₂ emissions, while subsea cable armouring wire made from at least 70 per cent recycled steel offers more than 50 per cent CO₂ savings and is fully recyclable at end-of-life.

Bekaert said additional products will be added to the inhera label as further innovations are developed.

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Yokohama Rubber has reported new findings from an international research programme aimed at combating leaf fall disease, a fungal infection that has disrupted natural rubber production in Indonesia, the world’s second-largest supplier.

The results were presented on 9 December at the fifth Joint Coordinating Committee Meeting held at Universitas Indonesia. The initiative, formally titled “Development of Complex Technologies for Prevention and Control of Rubber Tree Leaf Fall Diseases”, forms part of the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development, a scheme run by the Japan Science and Technology Agency and the Japan International Cooperation Agency with support from Japan’s foreign and education ministries.

The project brings together Japanese industry, government and academic institutions, including the national research agency RIKEN, with Indonesian partners. Its objective is to maintain output from smallholders, who account for more than 90 per cent of Indonesia’s natural rubber production. The programme is pursuing several approaches: pesticide-based disease control; the development of disease-resistant clones; and early detection using satellite and drone imagery.

Yokohama Rubber, which uses natural rubber as a principal raw material for tyres, has been involved since the project’s launch in 2020. The company began assessing pesticide effects on rubber quality in 2024, following a screening process. Field tests on large plantations have shown that correctly applied pesticides do not impair the properties of raw or vulcanised rubber. Yokohama Rubber is now contributing to research on how such treatments may affect smallholders.

The group said its “Procurement Policy for Sustainable Natural Rubber” incorporates support for participants across the supply chain, including small-scale farmers. It expects its role in the project to aid the sustainable production of natural rubber and help stabilise smallholder incomes. Yokohama Rubber is also an official partner in a separate SATREPS initiative on using rubber seeds to develop environmentally focused products intended to mitigate global warming and plastic pollution.

Under its sustainability theme, “Caring for the Future”, the company has emphasised links between its commercial activities and broader environmental and social objectives.

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Australia has released its first national specification for the use of crumb rubber asphalt on local roads, a move intended to give councils clearer guidance on designing and maintaining light-to-medium-duty networks and to strengthen domestic recycling demand for end-of-life tyres.

The Crumb Rubber Modified Dense Graded Asphalt (CRM DGA) Model Specification for light to medium duty roads was published by the Australian Flexible Pavement Association (AsPA) following collaboration with Tyre Stewardship Australia. The document offers standardised technical requirements for councils, which manage about 75 percent of the national road network — roughly 675,000km of streets and community-level infrastructure.

Existing asphalt standards were largely developed for higher-order state roads, leaving local governments to interpret specifications that did not reflect lower traffic loads or the environmental conditions typical of suburban and regional networks. The new model specification aims to close that gap by setting guidance aligned with the factors that most influence degradation on council roads, such as surface ageing and weather exposure.

The specification promotes the use of crumb rubber modified binders, which can extend pavement life under light-to-medium-duty conditions. Incorporating recycled rubber also aligns with broader circular-economy policies across Australia’s states and municipalities, which are seeking to reduce landfill and illegal dumping while supporting domestic tyre-recycling capacity.

AfPA said the CRM DGA Model Specification V1.0, dated October 2025, is publicly available. It includes requirements for mix design and materials, construction processes such as compaction and temperature control, and performance testing suited to council networks. It also offers practical guidance on integrating reclaimed asphalt pavement content.

Local governments seeking case studies and procurement tools on crumb rubber applications can access Tyre Stewardship Australia’s Crumb Rubber Resource Centre for further technical and project information.

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