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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Bridgestone has launched a new range of underground mining tyres engineered to perform in extremely harsh conditions, enabling greater productivity with fewer resources. The VMNT, VMDL and VMMS products are specifically designed for underground applications, where abrasive rock, high moisture and continuous operations create one of the toughest environments for tyres.

All three models debut Bridgestone’s Subterranean technology, allowing haulers to carry heavier loads without raising inflation pressure. This innovation also lowers the risk of cuts, penetrations and costly downtime. The tyres form part of the company’s Moving More with Less philosophy, balancing higher capacity, durability and safety to help operators maximise output underground.

The tyres reduce penetrations by enveloping rocks instead of allowing them to cut into the rubber while preserving grip and operator comfort. The VMNT offers extended wear life for underground haulers, the VMDL uses a unique lug pattern for traction on load and haul dump machines and the VMMS features a smooth grooveless design where traction comes from terrain contact, plus cut-resistant sidewalls. Available sizes include 26.5 R25, 29.5 R29 and 35/65 R33.

This release strengthens Bridgestone’s off-road tyre portfolio and reinforces its commitment to innovative solutions that improve productivity, durability and safety in specialised global applications.

Rob Cole, Key Account Manager – Off Road Tyres, UK and Ireland, Bridgestone, said, “These tyres are specifically designed for the harshest terrains that you’ll ever come across. Underground mines are among the most demanding and challenging environments imaginable. The beauty of these tyres is that they can carry 15 percent extra load capacity without increasing the pressure. Traditionally, the thinking in this sector was to make the casing stronger and simply put more air into the tyre to carry more load. In reality, that can be counterproductive in these conditions.

“If a tyre fails underground, it can fail with a tremendous amount of force, costing operators huge amounts of money in downtime and, more importantly, potentially endangering life. The machines themselves are getting heavier, so the tyre beads have also been strengthened to help carry more load safely and effectively. What Bridgestone has developed here is a tyre range capable of handling the severe realities of underground mining while helping operators move more with less.”

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has confirmed that its flagship ADVAN brand tyres powered the JR2 Class victor at 2026 WRC FORUM8 Rally Japan, the seventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship. The race took place from 28 to 31 May on courses spanning Japan’s Aichi and Gifu prefectures.

The ADVAN A051T tarmac rally tyres delivered the grip, control and wear resistance essential for navigating the event’s technically demanding stages under high surface temperatures. The JR2 Class is designated for national and regional rally vehicles with engine displacements above 1600 cc and up to 2500 cc. The winning car was a TOYOTA 86 fielded by K-ONE RACING TEAM, driven by Yuta Yamamoto and Shizuka Takehara.

Their well-coordinated, precision driving, combined with the ADVAN A051T tyres’ performance, allowed them to clock the fastest time on every stage except SS10, where a Notional Time was applied. The pair finished over 17 minutes ahead of the second-place car. Yamamoto has now claimed first place in the JR2 Class at Rally Japan for five consecutive years, with ADVAN tyres contributing each time.

Beyond Rally Japan, Yamamoto also competes in the Japanese Rally Championship, where he has secured the JN-3 class series title for three straight years, again supported by ADVAN rally tyres. Rally Japan is the country’s round of the WRC, which ranks alongside Formula 1 and the FIA World Endurance Championship as a premier global motorsport series. The competition is run entirely on tarmac roads, and this year’s WRC calendar features 14 rounds across different nations worldwide.

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Tyres Europe has responded to the European Commission’s recent policy package on the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), offering qualified support for measures that reduce red tape. Industry representatives have pointed to proposed exemptions for retreaded and test tyres as a positive step, arguing these products do not present the same supply chain traceability risks as standard new tyres. The move is seen as a way to prevent unnecessary administrative costs for businesses.

A significant point of clarity within the Commission’s documents involves the dual legal status of tyre makers. Under the new framework, manufacturers are considered operators when importing natural rubber but become first downstream operators when selling finished goods. Tyres Europe has endorsed this distinction, stating it prevents the needless circulation of due diligence statement numbers after the raw material has already been cleared at the border. The association believes the same rationale should apply to imported finished tyres, which have already satisfied verification requirements upon entry.

Nevertheless, serious practical hurdles remain, particularly concerning the EUDR’s digital infrastructure. The tyre sector routinely mixes domestically produced and imported tyres within the same warehouses for extended periods, forcing companies to repeatedly consolidate large volumes of due diligence references for customer shipments. Although the Commission has acknowledged the necessity of grouping tools, the current design of the Information System may undermine these simplified procedures. Industry leaders warn that without technically sound solutions, system resilience could be compromised.

Tyres Europe has formally requested that the EUDR’s existing implementation deadline stay unchanged. Instead of delaying the rules, the group urges policymakers to resolve unresolved operational issues through narrowly tailored fixes. The ultimate goal is to prevent duplicate transmission obligations wherever prior due diligence can be clearly demonstrated, ensuring that supply chains remain functional without sacrificing regulatory oversight.

Adam McCarthy, Secretary General, Tyres Europe, said, “The tyre industry supports the objectives of the EUDR and is ready to implement it. After years of preparation, companies now need implementation certainty. The priority now should be to ensure that the remaining operational issues are addressed through targeted refinements and further implementation guidance, rather than through any reopening of the Regulation itself.”

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has been named a ‘Supplier Engagement Leader’, the top ranking in the 2025 Supplier Engagement Assessment by CDP, a global environmental nonprofit focused on a sustainable economy. This marks the second consecutive year the company has received the highest rating.

The CDP assessment examines how businesses effectively collaborate with suppliers on climate change issues, based on five criteria from its climate questionnaire: governance and strategy, emissions targets, Scope 3 emissions, risk management and supplier cooperation. Yokohama Rubber aims to achieve net zero CO₂ emissions from its own operations by 2050 and has disclosed Scope 3 emissions since 2013.

To address supply chain climate impact, the company created the Yokohama Green Procurement Guidelines with suppliers to promote eco-friendly raw materials. It also holds annual CSR briefings for suppliers on carbon neutrality. Under its ‘Caring for the Future’ sustainability slogan, Yokohama Rubber continues to generate shared value by tackling social issues through business activities.

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