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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The AZuR network will take centre stage at the centenary annual conference of the German Rubber Society (DKG) in Fulda on 24 and 25 September 2026, where network coordinator Christina Guth will deliver a presentation titled ‘The Next 100 Years Are Circular’. Her address will illustrate how the network links rubber industry stakeholders and underline why collaboration across the entire value chain is indispensable to establishing a circular economy in the tyre sector.

Founded in Düsseldorf in 1926, the DKG marks its 100th anniversary by once again convening specialists from research, development and industry. The two-day gathering, held under the banner ‘100 Years of the DKG’, blends professional exchange with an examination of the sector's future direction. Guth's contribution centres on the argument that coming decades must be defined by circularity, as rubber and tyre manufacturers confront the pressing task of retaining products and raw materials in circulation for as long as feasible.

Achieving this demands more than isolated recycling solutions. It requires coordinated effort spanning producers, traders, collection and sorting operations, repair and retreading services, mechanical and chemical recycling, alongside science and policymaking. The AZuR network, established in 2020, now encompasses over 90 partners across Germany and Europe, uniting actors committed to a resource-efficient tyre circular economy. Science-industry cooperation features prominently, with materials analysis, life cycle assessments, sorting technologies and process research supplying the evidence base for advancing circular methods and informing sound commercial and political choices.

Numerous synergies exist between the DKG and AZuR, including expanded scientific exchange, joint work on recovered carbon black and other recyclates, quality standards for secondary raw materials, and knowledge transfer to emerging scientists and engineers. Guth maintains that materials expertise and circular economy competence are inseparable, arguing that reusing high-quality secondary raw materials in rubber compounds requires research, industry and recycling to jointly refine quality, processes and standards. The anniversary prompts AZuR to look forward, with digital product passports, circular design, greater secondary raw material use and shared quality standards offering pathways towards a circular tyre and rubber industry sustained by strong networks.

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Just Tires has opened a new location at 112 N Larkin Ave. in Joliet, bringing expert tyre and automotive care to a community known for its cruise nights and race weekends. The store welcomed customers on 23 September 2026, offering drivers a trusted destination for maintaining the vehicles that keep them moving.

Backed by more than 125 years of Goodyear expertise, the Joliet store’s technicians help customers select the right tyres and care for their vehicles, whether for daily commutes or trips to the track. The location carries a broad selection of Goodyear and Cooper tyres, including the Eagle F1 All Season for year-round performance, the Wrangler Steadfast HT for highway comfort, the Assurance WeatherReady 2 for all-weather driving and the ElectricDrive 2 for EV-focused performance, along with high-performance, all-weather and all-terrain options.

Services at the new store include tyre installation, TPMS sensors, air refills, oil changes, wheel alignments, brake service, battery replacement and free maintenance inspections. With cooler weather approaching, every service includes a complimentary Courtesy Tire & Maintenance Inspection covering tyre pressure, tread depth, battery, brakes and accessible fluids, plus free air to support proper inflation, performance and fuel efficiency.

To celebrate the opening, a sweepstakes running from 15 September through 15 October invites fans to purchase a set of four Goodyear tyres on Goodyear.com or through Goodyear Auto Service and Just Tires stores and submit an entry form. One randomly selected winner will receive a blimp flight certificate for two passengers, redeemable at any of Goodyear’s three US airship bases in Akron, Ohio, Carson, California or Pompano Beach, Florida.

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Sri Trang Group has been recognised for its philanthropic support with a plaque of appreciation at the Mahidol Day 2026 ceremony. The award was accepted by Somporn Pannarai, Chief Procurement Officer of Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited (STA), on behalf of the Group's management. The presentation took place on 24 September 2026 at the Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University.

The plaque honoured benefactors who contributed to the work of the Faculty of Medicine and the Songklanagarind Hospital Foundation during the southern Thailand floods in 2025. Mahidol Day itself commemorates His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol Adulyadej and his lasting contributions to medicine and public health across the nation.

With its origins in southern Thailand, Sri Trang Group – represented by STA and Sri Trang Gloves (Thailand) Public Company Limited (STGT) – stated it was honoured to have backed initiatives benefiting the public. The Group reiterated its dedication to enhancing quality of life and supporting communities both in the South and throughout the country.

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Dr William Mars, Founder and President of Endurica, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Rubber Division, American Chemical Society (ACS) Melvin Mooney Distinguished Technology Award. The honour recognises exceptional technical competency demonstrated through significant and repeated contributions to rubber science and technology.

Dr Mars is widely regarded as a pioneer in elastomer durability, having developed critical plane analysis methods and fatigue life simulation techniques that are now employed throughout the global tire and rubber industry.

The award will be presented during a special event at the Global Polymer Summit (GPS), scheduled for 28–30 September in Louisville, Kentucky. As part of a science and technology awards symposium at the summit, the Endurica leader will deliver a special lecture.

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