Rubber certainly has its role to play in forest landscapes across the world, with natural rubber plantations having risen as a substantial basis of deforestation. One element that addresses deforestation concerns is the correct certification of rubber – be it natural or synthetic. International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC), a globally leading certification system, works with the objective of providing sustainability solutions for fully traceable and deforestation-free supply chains, inter alia involving the rubber industry. ISCC was one of the presenters at the Tire Technology Expo 2022 at Hannover, Germany, and Dr Jan M Henke, Director, ISCC, threw light on the nitty-gritty of certifications in the rubber industry, their clients in the tyre and rubber industry and more, in an interaction with Tyre Trends.

Can you tell us about your global sustainability scheme?
Our global sustainability and carbon certification scheme has certified companies in more than 100 countries. We certify entire supply chains from farms to plantations and forestry, and also the point of origin of waste and residues, biogenic and fossil waste. This is also covering rubber and natural rubber. Moreover, we cover biogenic waste and residues, including fossil waste, like carbon black, which is, again, used in the rubber industry. We also certify pyrolysis, where recycled mixed plastic waste can help produce synthetic rubber out of the pyrolysis oil. And we certify the entire supply chain, sustainability of raw material.

What is Meo’s role?
Meo initiated ISCC in a multi-stakeholder process a long time ago. It once was a Meo project and went on to become an operations and certification scheme. It was even recognised by the European Commission and some other authorities. It later got segregated from Meo, and ISCC is governed by the ISCC Association with more than 200 members.

So, what role does Meo play in this in case of certification?
Certification is always by independent, third-party certification bodies. ISCC is the standard development. Today’s ISCC was once a project of Meo. It then went on to become independent and operational, and was no longer a project but an individual entity running and further developing and improving the certification scheme.

The operations of the certification system, database, registration, qualification, training programme, integrity programme, the website and all the day-to-day business is done by ISCC. We are currently incorporating 45 certification bodies that are actually doing the on-site audits based on the ISCC standard.

Is ISCC recognised by the European Union?
Yes, it is being used in many sectors, like in bio energy, bio fuel, renewable transport fuels etc. In fact, ISCC is also recognised by the European Commission and by companies based on their sustainability standards and different industry initiatives.

Hence, ISCC is active on a really broad scale, covering different types of raw materials, natural rubber being one of them. We are also covering waste and residues for pyrolysis and their outputs. We then go to all the different end markets, which can be polymers, rubber, tyres, packaging, all types of plastic products, bio energy or any type of renewable fuels, aviation fuels, maritime fuels etc. This is global and is being used in more than 100 countries.

Tyre companies are talking about sustainability, but the larger part of the industry is of small stakeholders, especially in the natural rubber segment, where traceability and accountability are the main issues. How do you see this?
That’s a big challenge, especially in rubber production. At the cultivation level, there are a lot of small holders. There also exist large plantations that are easier to implement and certify. However, it’s definitely a bigger challenge with the small holders; it always depends on how well they are organised, whether there are certain structures, cooperatives or some central units.

Can you tell us about the certification of natural rubber?
The certification of natural rubber is definitely possible. Palm oil is maybe another example where the setup is quite similar sometimes. Also, with respect to the small holders, sometimes the companies are the same. Furthermore, we are very active in the palm oil sector with ISCC. We now also see a demand for natural rubber sustainability certification.

Is there a different process for getting certified in the rubber industry or is it a standard process?
It’s a standard process. It works on plantation. In fact, it works more or less the same as for palm plantations. But you certainly need to make sure that all the small holders reach a certain level, which is difficult. So starting out, bigger plantations may be easier because it’s easier for them to properly prepare for the certification audits. And then, you need to involve more farmers, step by step.

Who decides the standard process to get the certifications?
ISCC develops the standards and the requirements in the multi-stakeholder process. It then comes down to a company saying that it wants to become certified, use ISCC and also make certain claims and communications to its customers and stakeholders. They then reach out to a certification body, that is cooperating with ISCC. Following this, the certification body will do the audit on site – the third-party auditor will also make a decision on the issuance of the certificate.

Can tyre manufacturers get different certifications? For instance, one for natural rubber and another one for synthetic rubber? Or do they get one for all?
If tyre manufacturers source raw material for manufacturing from natural rubber but also synthetic rubber and everything under ISCC, then it’s one audit. Then the auditor would look into aspects of the volume of natural rubber being used that has been certified, although upstream. If one buys from certified suppliers and if the same auditors check, then aspects like the share of the certified synthetic rubber being used, the share of carbon black, etc. are taken into account. And finally, everything can be put together and a certain claim can be made.

Can tyre companies get a separate certificate for natural rubber?
Yes, they can. They can have separate certificates for natural and synthetic rubber both, or even of everything together. As for the final tyre, let’s say, if it’s 20 percent natural rubber and 20 percent synthetic rubber (40 percent of the tyre), then they can make certain sustainability claims on use of sustainable, circular materials etc.

What is the value of a certification?
It’s no deforestation – that’s key when it comes to natural rubber. When you certify, ‘no deforestation’ is the core requirement and deforestation is not allowed under ISCC. It is about additional environmental and social human rights criteria. This fits fine in this part of ISCC’s sustainability standard. And then it’s certainly about traceability in the supply chain, all the way in the end to the final tyre. And if this is established, then you can certainly make claims about the rubber or the final tyre, saying that it has been sustainably produced, based on sustainably sourced raw materials etc.

Plus, if you do this in a smart way, then you can actually cover the natural and synthetic rubber. Natural rubber and synthetic rubber are both very important parts of the final tyre. Both can be covered under ISCC.

Deforestation is a big issue, mainly in Southeast Asian and African countries. How difficult is it to keep an eye on that?
It’s not always easy to handle. Deforestation is not allowed under ISCC; there is a cut-off date of January 2008. If there was deforestation after January 2008, one cannot become certified. However, replanting or a change from palm to rubber is not considered as deforestation.

For example, if you have a palm plantation and if you cut it and plant rubber after 25 years, then that’s not deforestation. That’s just normal replanting.

Also, ISCC is certainly doing assessments, supported by remote sensing. Our core principle is no deforestation, which is very important to ISCC and its stakeholders. ISCC is not just us doing the operations in Cologne; there’s the ISCC Association for the multi-stakeholder dialogue. It has over 200 members from entire supply chains, industries, plantation companies, mineral oil, chemical companies, converters etc. We also have research organisations from different regions involved. In fact, also a number of non-governmental organisations are members of the ISCC Association.

The association meets annually and makes important strategic decisions and elects the ISCC Board. Due to the representation of the research sector and non-governmental organisations, there is quite a good balance of what people want and further development.

Can you tell us about the commercial benefits involved in having a certification?
There is a big value in it. It reduces sustainability risks for companies, helps to establish monitoring, protects the license to operate and has commercial value. For example, the OEMs ask for more sustainable products or lower greenhouse gas emissions. They all have climate neutrality commitments in place and need to start delivering step-by-step now; they need to show what are the activities that they are engaged in and how those improve sustainability in the overall supply chain. Here, ISCC certification can be used.

How do you maintain transparency in certification as a third party?
There is an annual audit. The certificate is valid for one year and then there is a re-certification. The company needs to provide evidence in every re-certification that the rules are being followed. And if they are not, a renewal of the certificates is not possible.

We certainly have quality management and training for companies and the auditors as well, who conduct on-site audits. What’s more, we have our own integrity programmes, where we send out our own auditors. These auditors work for ISCC and double-check the performance of the companies and the work of third-party auditors. Therefore, this integrity programme is key. We have the website where all the certificates are being published and the entire standard is public.

Do you help companies improve their sustainability supply chain?
No, we don’t consult. At ISCC, we are not involved in supporting the companies in order to improve. We have the standard and we conduct the training for companies. The preparation for the audit is not where ISCC is involved; it’s independent from that type of work. And the certification bodies are not allowed to consult in parallel either. ISCC is the independent standard that is used to certify that companies fulfil the sustainability requirements.

What are the other segments that you cover in the tyre industry?
It’s the entire supply chain. Petrochemical industries, tyre manufacturers etc. can all be covered. This also includes everything from plantations to the end product in the tyre industry.

Which is the easiest and the toughest one to certify?
All elements of the supply chain need to be covered.

This can sometimes be a challenge in the beginning, so as to convince your suppliers and also get certified. But, in truth, we have more than 6,000 certificates under ISCC. So there are already a lot of players that have valid certificates, and now this is starting to move into the space of rubber and tyre manufacturers.

Can you tell us about your clients in the rubber and tyre industry?
We have requests from many tyre producers right now. Some producers are certified already. Plus, we have requests for carbon black and first requests for natural rubber. We see the number of requests increasing, and we do have first certificates and first registrations from tyre producers. So we expect this to rise further as the industry needs to show compliance with their sustainability and climate neutrality commitments.

We see the entire tyre industry now targeting sustainability. So how do you find more opportunities and what’s your plan to get more client support?
ISCC started to get really further engaged in the rubber and tyre industry about a year ago; the industry has started understanding the standards, participating in ISCC trainings, joining our stakeholder events etc. Therefore, step by step, they got to know ISCC better and what it could do for them. They have now even started to get involved and do certifications, including reaching out all the way to the cultivation of natural rubber.

Are you going to focus on the Asian market?
Yes. In fact, we already have a few hundred certificates in Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries in the region. These markets are truly important. Our other key markets are North America and Europe, while we are also active in Africa and South America.

We are, eventually, trying to do more and convince people to become certified, show compliance to sustainability requirements, engage in a continuous improvement approach to become more sustainable and then allow manufacturers to really make claims.  

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Hankook Tire, the exclusive tyre supplier for the FIA World Rally Championship, wrapped up its support for the 12th round of the season. The WRC Rally Chile Biobío concluded on 13 September near Concepción, Chile, with Hankook’s off-road Dynapro R213 tyres proving central to the event.

The rally featured 16 special stages covering 311.18 competitive kilometres. Competitors tackled forest roads and rugged, unpaved mountain terrain around Concepción and the Biobío region, beside Chile’s Pacific coast. The route blended fast corners with compacted gravel made of volcanic ash particles and small stones, severely testing both drivers and tyres. Repeated runs over rough ground magnified the difficulty.

Hankook’s Dynapro R213 was available in Hard and Soft compounds, letting teams strategically select tyres for surface and weather conditions. The tyre offered flexibility on steep slopes and across varied ground, from soft earth to thick gravel. Oliver Solberg of Toyota GAZOO Racing claimed his second win of the season, following his Rallye Monte-Carlo triumph. The result also earned Toyota the 2026 Constructors’ Championship, its sixth straight since 2021 and tenth overall.

The 2026 WRC season now moves to the 13th round, WRC Rally Italia Sardegna, scheduled for 1–4 October near Alghero, Sardinia. That event combines demanding coastal and interior mountain roads, with tight corners and blind crests that restrict forward visibility, placing high demands on tyre traction and durability.

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Bridgestone has unveiled the V-Steel Highway Service 3 (VHS3), a new high-speed radial tyre engineered for mobile all-terrain cranes. As a global leader in premium tyres and sustainable mobility solutions, the company designed the product to enhance vehicle and fleet performance. The VHS3 delivers improved wear life while helping reduce downtime and maintenance costs, enabling operators to perform confidently in demanding environments.

Compared with its predecessor, the VHS2, the new tyre offers up to 12 percent longer wear life. Bridgestone achieved this through an advanced rubber compound technology and an optimised contact area that minimises irregular wear. A new tread design featuring wide grooves and extended lug blocks further combines longer wear life with improved grip and stability on highways and off-road terrain.

The VHS3 is also 24 kg lighter than the VHS2, assisting fleets in reducing fuel consumption and operational costs while maintaining durability and improving load capacity. This results from a lighter casing design with a lighter belt construction. Bridgestone's new crane tyre will be available from September 2026 in size 445/95R25 178F.

Bas Rijpma, Fleet Manager, Sarens Netherlands, said, "In our business, reliability, uptime and efficiency are critical. Bridgestone has been a trusted partner to Sarens for more than a decade. As the next generation crane tyre, the VHS3 is already delivering very promising results. We have observed no irregular wear, the robustness we require for demanding heavy transport operations and favourable fuel efficiency potential thanks to its lighter weight. Combined with the TPMS solution, which gives us real-time insight into tyre pressure and temperature, the VHS3 helps us optimise tyre performance and minimise downtime. Together with low noise levels, it gives us confidence that Bridgestone VHS3 is setting a new standard for crane tyre performance."

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VMI has raised Euro 125,145 for the Ventoux3 fundraising event in support of the Erasmus MC Foundation, marking the highest amount the company has generated for a charitable initiative.

The funds were raised through participation in Ventoux3, an annual sporting challenge held in the south of France. On 11 September, 66 employees of VMI climbed Mont Ventoux by road bike, mountain bike and gravel bike, as well as by running, walking and hiking. Participants completed between one and four ascents of the mountain, supported by a company team providing logistical and on-route assistance.

Proceeds from the event will support research into new treatments for brain cancer, conducted by the Erasmus MC Foundation, with the aim of improving outcomes for patients following diagnosis.

VMI presented the donation during an evening event, contributing to a total of €584,391 raised by all Ventoux3 participants.

The company organises an annual charitable challenge, with this year’s total representing a record contribution.

VMI is a wholly owned subsidiary of TKH Group N.V., with operations across Europe, Asia and the Americas and a workforce of more than 1,800 employees worldwide.

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Goodyear has upgraded its studded winter tyre, the UltraGrip Arctic 2, to meet evolving Nordic regulations. The tyre now complies with the latest Traficom A+ requirements, which apply to all newly produced studded passenger car tyres from 1 January 2027. The redesign introduces a new stud pin geometry while keeping the same number of studs, reducing road wear without sacrificing winter performance.

The company is also streamlining its product naming. The UltraGrip Arctic 2 designation will now cover all sizes, with the previous SUV-specific line discontinued. Updated tyres will carry a Traficom A+ sticker and comply with the latest UNECE regulation. Three new sidewall markings will appear: an updated 3PMSF symbol featuring the ‘Ш’ character, an ice symbol and the word ‘STUDDED’, improving transparency across markets.

The range is expanding with seven additional SKUs in 18 inches and above, bringing the total to 122 SKUs. This strengthens coverage for vehicles such as the Audi e-tron, Volvo EX60 and EX40, KIA EV5, Skoda Enyaq, Tesla Model 3, Volkswagen Tayron and ID. Buzz. Goodyear’s non-studded UltraGrip Ice 3 line is also growing, adding 18 SKUs for a total of 130, with 80 percent now in 18 inches and above. This improves compatibility with electric and high-spec vehicles including the Mercedes GLB EQ, Volvo EX60, Nissan Leaf, Skoda Elroq, Volkswagen ID.3 GTX, ID. Buzz, Tesla Model Y, ID.7 and Renault 5.

Engineered for Nordic conditions, the UltraGrip Ice 3 uses a softer compound for ice grip, an optimised footprint for stability on heavier vehicles, and high sipe density for traction on snow. Recognised in multiple Nordic winter tyre tests, it continues to deliver reliable real-world performance while Goodyear meets new regulatory demands without compromising the trusted grip, control and reliability of the UltraGrip Arctic 2.

Ben Glesener, Senior Technology Director, Product Development Consumer EMEA Goodyear, said, “We are continuously evolving our products to anticipate regulatory developments and customer needs. With the updated UltraGrip Arctic 2, we are ensuring drivers are ready for upcoming requirements while continuing to benefit from the outstanding winter performance they expect from Goodyear.”

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