Hankook Tire has announced the establishment of a corporate governance charter to enhance transparent ESG management and to lay the groundwork for the company’s sustainable business. The company said in a statement that the charter was approved at the board meeting held on May 9. 

The corporate governance charter will ensure professionalism and independence of the board and promote the rights and interests of all stakeholders including shareholders, consumers, and members. It contains regulations on the rights and responsibilities of shareholders, roles and operations of the board, a structure of audit institutions, protection of rights of stakeholders, and disclosure. The content will be accessible to all shareholders on Hankook Tire’s official website as well as on Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service’s (FSS) Data Analysis, Retrieval and Transfer System (DART), the release said. 

Last July, the ESG committee was launched within the board of directors to strengthen the company’s ESG management strategies and activities. Currently, five operating units are affiliated within the board including the ESG committee, audit committee, outside director nomination committee, sustainable management committee, and internal transaction committee. 

The company said in an effort to enhance the expertise and function of the board, the committee has been set to consist of three or more directors, with a majority of its members from outside the board. In the case of the ESG committee, Mira Lee, a female leader with extensive experience in corporate governance practices from global companies such as General Electric (GE) and Macquarie Group, was selected as the first chairman. The committee, including the chairperson, is consisted of seven inside and outside directors. 

Sooil Lee, President and CEO of Hankook Tire & Technology, said, “Hankook Tire has met many milestones in fulfilling its responsibilities and roles as a top-tier ESG company, and is saving no efforts to reach sustainable growth in areas of economy, environment, and society. Following the enactment of the charter, Hankook Tire plans to establish sound governance with objectivity and transparency, and strengthen its ESG leadership.” 

Hankook has been improving its ESG capabilities by not only setting up the ESG committee but also by sharing its vision of sustainability and publishing its annual ESG Report since 2010, the release pointed out. Hankook earned the highest score in the auto components group in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) World, and was included in the DJSI World for the past six years starting from 2016, it added. (TT)

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JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. has been conferred the Mahatma Award for Community Initiatives 2026, recognising its sustained community development and social welfare efforts. This marks the fourth consecutive year the company has received the honour, reaffirming its commitment to creating meaningful, sustainable impact across communities.

B S Dagar, Vice President of IR, EHS and CSR at JK Tyre, received the award at a distinguished ceremony. The event was graced by prominent dignitaries, including Rajya Sabha member Dr Santrupt Mishra, Konkan Railways CMD Santosh Kumar Jha and Amit Sachdeva, known as the CSR Man of India, who presented the award.

The company's CSR programmes primarily target communities surrounding its manufacturing locations, addressing local needs while enabling long-term socio-economic development. Under its Sarthi initiatives, JK Tyre runs programmes spanning livelihood, education, healthcare, water conservation and rural development. During FY2025-26, these efforts benefited over 130,000 people, bringing their cumulative reach beyond 1.5 million lives. Specific interventions include Shiksha Sarthi for education, Arogya Sarthi for healthcare, Ajivika Sarthi for sustainable livelihoods through skill development, Jal-Vayu Sarthi for water conservation and environmental priorities and Vikas Sarthi for rural development.

Founded in 2021, the Mahatma Award recognises organisations, leaders and changemakers driving meaningful social impact towards a more sustainable and equitable future. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's legacy and values, it celebrates exemplary efforts creating positive change across communities and society. Instituted by the Mahatma Foundation with the Aditya Birla Group and Liveweek Group, the award honours impactful and responsible initiatives across the private, public and development sectors.

Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries, said, “At JK Tyre, our commitment to the communities we operate in is an integral part of our journey towards responsible and sustainable growth. Receiving the Mahatma Award for the fourth consecutive year is a matter of great pride and reinforces our belief in creating impact that is meaningful, inclusive and enduring. This recognition belongs to our CSR teams, implementation partners and the communities who have been an integral part of these initiatives. We remain committed to deepening our efforts and contributing towards building stronger and more empowered communities.”

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Pirelli has confirmed it will bring the same tyre allocation used last year to the Singapore Grand Prix, as Formula 1 remains in Asia for a weekend that also hosts the season's final Sprint and concludes a long triple-header that started in Baku. The Marina Bay circuit, one of the most physically demanding venues for drivers, will again feature the C3 as Hard, the C4 as Medium and the C5 as Soft.

The 4.940-kilometre street circuit is characterised by barriers close to the racing line and limited overtaking opportunities. Changes made to the third sector in 2023 increased the number of high-speed sections, making the lap smoother and faster than before. Although some straights are present, the track remains defined by numerous braking and traction phases across its 19 corners, allowing modern power units to recover energy throughout the lap.

Marina Bay has a medium-to-high level of surface roughness for a street circuit. Since no resurfacing has taken place, values are expected to be broadly in line with last season, if not slightly higher. Track evolution will be significant over the weekend, while intermittent rainfall typical of the equatorial climate can influence grip levels and alter conditions from one session to the next.

The race is held at night, with track temperatures between 30 and 35 °C. Under these conditions, tyres tend to operate within their working window without particular overheating concerns. Mechanical stress is not especially high, and expected degradation will mainly be linked to the normal performance drop-off of the rear axle during traction phases. Graining and wear are also not expected to become limiting factors in race management.

Strategically, Singapore remains one of the races where a one-stop strategy is the preferred option, also considering time lost in the pit lane and the frequent likelihood of neutralisations. While Hard and Medium are again expected to be the reference compounds for the race, the Soft could receive greater consideration on Sunday from more than one team. The softest compound has shown at Budapest, Monza and Baku that it allows drivers to maintain a strong pace thanks to limited degradation, while offering an advantage in grip and confidence. These characteristics could prove even more valuable at a circuit known for significant track evolution.

Latest-generation cars also appear to make better use of softer compounds, allowing the softer end of the range to be used for longer and more competitive stints than in the past. It would therefore come as no surprise to see the red-sidewalled tyre used in Saturday's Sprint or more extensive C5 use throughout the weekend. Medium and Soft were chosen for the opening part of the race, with 14 drivers starting on the C4 and the remainder on the C5, while the Hard was ruled out because the track was still damp after earlier rain. The C3 then became the preferred compound for the second stint, and almost the entire grid completed a one-stop race, with only three drivers opting for two stops.

This will be the seventeenth edition of the Singapore Grand Prix, held continuously since 2008 with the only interruption caused by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Sebastian Vettel leads drivers with five victories and Lewis Hamilton has four, while Mercedes leads constructors with five wins. The podium cap will feature an orchid-inspired design, celebrated in Singapore for thriving in heat, humidity and heavy rainfall. The special edition Pirelli Podium Cap is produced by Pirelli Design and signed by designer Denis Dekovic.

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Tyres Europe has released a position paper urging the European Union to deploy trade defence instruments more strategically and responsively. The paper argues that measures must remain effective after adoption and tackle distortions that shift across countries, companies and value chains.

The bloc's tyre sector relies heavily on capital investment and specialised know-how, supporting more than 70 manufacturing sites, retreading operations included, plus roughly 20 R&D hubs. Of the approximately 398 million tyres fitted across the EU during 2024, close to 40 percent came from outside the Union. Meanwhile, nine European plant closures have been announced over the last two years, putting over 4,400 jobs at risk.

Two recent episodes underscore the gaps. In the passenger car and light truck tyre case involving China, Brussels launched its probe in May 2025, yet definitive duties did not land until 8 July 2026, by which time sourcing had already migrated elsewhere. For truck and bus tyres, the pressure surfaced only after the 2018 measures took hold. China's share of EU27 and UK imports tumbled from 73 percent in 2017 to under 21 percent by 2019, but Thailand and Vietnam together surged from below 3 percent in 2017 to almost 61 percent in the first five months of 2026. Both cases show trade patterns moving faster than Europe's response, whether before or after duties.

The paper presses the European Commission to move sooner, keep measures potent post-adoption and act as one coordinated system. That entails wiring monitoring, industry insight, investigations and enforcement together from the earliest signal, running systematic post-measure tracking and industry dialogue and aligning trade defence with the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, investment screening and procurement. It further recommends starting work now on a supplementary, WTO-compatible answer to systemic distortions.

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Kenda Tires has introduced the KENDA K-SERIES RIPPER, a new tyre aimed at modern trail and all-mountain riders seeking speed, control and confidence across varied terrain. The model combines an aggressive yet fast-rolling tread design with dual-layer compound technology and a durable Trail Casing, positioning it as a versatile option from hardpack trails to technical descents.

The RIPPER is intended to fill the space between lightweight cross-country and downcountry tyres and heavier enduro offerings. According to Kenda, it addresses demand for a tyre that climbs efficiently, corners predictably and remains reassuring when trails become difficult, giving riders a single do-it-all solution.

Its neutral-void tread pattern is designed to balance rolling efficiency with traction. Large, broad-based knobs support braking performance and cornering stability, while the layout aims to deliver predictable handling as conditions change. A dual-layer compound pairs a high-traction trail compound with a fast-rolling base layer, enhancing grip on loose or technical ground while preserving efficiency and durability.

A robust Trail Casing is said to balance protection, durability and ride quality for aggressive trail riding and modern e-MTB use. An optimised 62 mm casing and tread width, a stable casing profile and optimised mould design contribute to confidence at the limit. Kenda describes the result as a long-lasting, high-mileage tyre combining speed, grip and durability for riders unwilling to choose between efficiency and capability.

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