Bridgestone India announced the winners of the second edition of the Mobility Social Impact Awards on Monday. These awards identify, recognise and promote mobility innovations through advanced technologies and solutions in the field of social advancement.

The awards have three focus areas – Accessible, Safe and Smart mobility solutions, claims Bridgestone India. The first is innovative ideas that provide better accessibility to healthcare and nutrition, livelihoods, education and social inclusion is one area. The second is to assess safe mobility solutions that enhance safety and inclusion, bridging the present gender gap, disaster mitigation and increase road safety, states Bridgestone India. And the third is smart mobility solutions that yield a positive social impact, eliminating poverty, promoting biodiversity conservation and developing our rural communities.

The winners took home a total price money of INR three million in the three categories.

Sharing his views, Parag Satpute, Managing Director, Bridgestone India, said, “Bridgestone aims to positively impact the way people live, move, work and play. Mobility plays a key role in a nation’s development and thereby, has a significant impact on society. With these awards, we aim to recognise those who employ sustainable mobility solutions in the service of communities, thereby improving the quality of life. Being a global leader in mobility solutions, we understand what it takes to create innovative solutions and simultaneously aid to the needs of diverse communities. The winners of Bridgestone Mobility Social Impact Awards are a testament to this and we are honoured to recognise such innovators.”

The winners
As per Bridgestone India, Mentors Foundation, Tasgaon, Maharashtra was the winner for the “Two Wheels of Hope - Bicycle Bank project”, This project has been developed to solve distance and mobility challenges faced by girl students in rural areas to reach schools. Also, the project solved the problem of access to healthcare services in parallel. The tyre company states that an Accredited Social Healthcare Activist (ASHA) worker is allocated for every 1,000 families, and access to these families was only done by walking the distance. With Two Wheels of Hope, they are now able to reach out to the families well in time, as per Bridgestone India.

Bridgestone India further claims that the first runner up was Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra (NBJK), Hazaribagh, Jharkhand for its initiatives on restoring eyesight, free of cost, for rural, underprivileged citizens, with avoidable blindness – thus, restoring their mobility, social life and livelihood.

The second runner up was the Centre for Rural Development, Guwahati, Assam, for its project “Rickshaw Bank”. According to Bridgestone India, this project provides a means of self-employment to rickshaw pullers by offering a “rent-to-own” financing option to purchase an innovative, newly-designed rickshaw, DIP-BAHAN (originally designed by the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati). DIP-BAHAN is lighter in weight, has an improved centre of gravity, contains more luggage space and has a canopy to cover both puller and passengers.

The jury and felicitation
Bridgestone India states that the jury comprised Dr Sudha Kothari, Founder and Managing Trustee, Chaitanya; Arindam Lahiri, CEO at Automotive Skills Development Council – India; Prashant Ranjan Verma, General Secretary, National Association for the Blind; and Dr Lidwin Dias, Principal, College of Social Work, Nirmala Niketan, Mumbai. Bridgestone India was represented on the jury by Apurv Choubey, Chief Human Resource Officer and Rajarshi Moitra Chief Commercial Officer.

The awardees were felicitated at the event attended by industrialist, philanthropist, humanitarian, Lila Poonawalla, as the Chief Guest, and Shankar Venkateshwaran, renowned expert on ESG and responsible business, as the keynote speaker, among other dignitaries from corporates, NGOs and the government and local administration, as per Bridgestone India.

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Tegeta Green Planet opened the Light Vehicle Diagnostics course at Tegeta Academy with a presentation for attendees aged 17 to 33. Beyond their chosen vocational field, participants learned about automotive waste management and environmental responsibility.

Shalva Akhvlediani, the organisation’s director, outlined its activities and goals while emphasising Extended Producer Responsibility. The session examined how the automotive sector connects to environmental duty and why used tyres, waste oils and automotive batteries must be collected and managed properly.

Tyre management and RECSOL featured prominently. Attendees traced a used tyre’s path from collection to recycling and learned how waste becomes a source of new resources. RECSOL, Tegeta’s tyre recycling plant, is a significant infrastructure project in used tyre recycling, processing tyres into materials for various uses and supporting circular economy principles.

A core aim is a system where waste is not an endpoint but the starting point for new resources, which requires infrastructure alongside greater public awareness and information on proper disposal. For participants, the meeting linked professional education with environmental awareness, stressing that future automotive professionals should understand this responsibility early.

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Tyres Europe, alongside ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association) and CLEPA (the European Association of Automotive Suppliers), has dispatched a joint communication to EU decision-makers concerning the possible broadening of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to cover downstream goods. The move comes as trilogue discussions approach.

Tyre producers form part of an automotive value chain already bearing carbon-related expenses for steel and aluminium manufactured within Europe. The proposed expansion would draw additional products into the mechanism’s remit before the existing framework has demonstrated its effectiveness. Resulting costs and administrative requirements would land on downstream manufacturers, tyre makers included, with signatories cautioning that a conceptually sound regulatory effort could become an operational and financial strain.

Endorsing the mechanism’s aims, the signatories nonetheless urge a proportionate scope that shields the entire value chain from carbon leakage while preventing that risk from being pushed further downstream. They advocate extending the mechanism only where a material carbon-leakage danger is evidenced, and request that policymakers ease compliance demands, including via more fitting default values mirroring real production routes.

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NEXEN TIRE has extended its partnership with Zalgiris, reinforcing its commitment to basketball in Europe, particularly across the Baltic region. The renewal builds on a relationship that began in 2024 and reflects the company’s broader strategy of linking its brand to performance, innovation and mobility.

The tyre maker has pursued sports partnerships as a way to connect with fans, sharing in the passion and excitement of supporting favourite teams during major matches and memorable moments. It also values the teamwork, dedication and collective achievement that define team sports, using such ties to build authentic connections and deepen engagement in key European markets. Its collaboration with clubs including Zalgiris and FC Bayern München forms part of this approach.

Under the extended agreement, NEXEN TIRE will gain greater visibility among sports fans in the region. The partnership offers branding opportunities at Zalgirio Arena, such as synchronised on-screen advertising and promotion on LED stands near the court, in a position visible on television during EuroLeague and LKL home games.

The arrangement also includes a hospitality programme allowing NEXEN TIRE to welcome guests and business partners at Zalgiris home fixtures. Through the strengthened alliance, the company aims to share its passion with more fans while raising brand awareness across the region.

Ricky Lee, Managing Director, NEXEN TIRE Poland, said, “Our cooperation with Zalgiris has developed positively since 2024, and we are pleased to extend and strengthen this partnership. Basketball has a particularly strong following in the Baltic region, making Zalgiris an important partner as we continue to grow our presence and engage with fans. We look forward to supporting the team throughout the season and doing our best to create positive experiences for both the players and their passionate fans.”

Paulius Jankunas, President, Zalgiris, said, “We are delighted to continue our cooperation with NEXEN TIRE and build on the partnership we started two years ago. NEXEN TIRE brings extensive experience in sports marketing, and we are proud to work together on creating meaningful projects and experiences for our fans. We look forward to another successful period of cooperation and to welcoming NEXEN TIRE’s guests and partners to our games and events.”

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TBC Corporation, one of North America’s largest marketers of automotive replacement tyres through wholesale and franchise operations, has widened its tyre portfolio through the addition of four new lines under the Multi-Mile Tyres banner. Serving as a value step-up brand, Multi-Mile gives dealers a strong mix of broader product coverage and improved consumer advantages crafted to drive better retail margins, helping retailers offer greater value while lifting profitability. With this expansion, the portfolio now reaches over 85 percent of the vehicle market, offering dealers more ways to satisfy customer demand.

Among the additions are tyres built for rugged and mud terrain use, boasting self-cleaning treads that push out mud and stones alongside dependable traction both on and off the road. Also joining the range are commercial and C-metric speciality tyres tailored to heavy-duty regional and long-haul trucks, together with all-weather tyres that hold the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake severe snow rating and are made for high mileage and consistent year-round use.

A prominent name in the replacement tyre segment, Multi-Mile carries cutting-edge touring, high-performance and broad-line tyres suited to passenger cars, light trucks and SUVs. Meanwhile, the upgraded Mile After Mile Protection Plan warranty now delivers broader coverage, adding three-year roadside assistance, a three-year road hazard protection plan and a 60-day ride guarantee on top of its extensive treadwear warranties.

Rachel Tibor, Chief Marketing Officer, TBC Wholesale, said, “For more than 70 years, Multi-Mile products have offered cost-efficient, reliable and durable tyre options that enhance safety and performance. With this expanded portfolio, Multi-Mile strengthens its position as a value step-up brand, giving dealers more opportunities to meet evolving consumer needs while offering a product mix designed to support stronger retail margins. We’re continuing our longstanding tradition of supplying the right products at the right time for every type of vehicle and application.”

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