Dr Kaoruko Kurata’s keynote speech.

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. hosted its 12th Panel Discussion on Biodiversity as an online event on 6 March 2026, bringing together a wide range of participants from 121 locations across Japan. This annual gathering serves as a platform for reflecting on the significance of biodiversity conservation. This year’s programme featured a keynote speech by Dr Kaoruko Kurata, a professor at Yokohama National University’s College of Education and Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, titled ‘Creating a Well-Being Society from the Perspective of Biocultural Diversity’. Following her address, the event highlighted the Yokohama Rubber Group’s own conservation efforts, with a lively discussion themed ‘Nature Positive Initiatives through Collaboration between Communities and Companies’ moderated by Dr Tetsuya Kitazawa, Director of Ecology Path Inc. and a lecturer at Edogawa University. The exchange included the company’s employees alongside representatives from local governments, businesses, non-profit organisations, and civic groups.

A central case study presented was the ongoing work at Kameyama Satoyama Park, a Nature Symbiosis Site. Under a support agreement with Kameyama City in Mie Prefecture, Kameyama Bead Company, a tyre bead manufacturing and sales subsidiary of Yokohama Rubber, conducts activities such as removing invasive species and maintaining the park grounds. A city official joined to discuss these efforts, which helped all participants deepen their understanding of practical conservation measures.

Since the adoption of the global nature positive goal at COP15 in December 2022, momentum has grown worldwide, including in Japan. The Yokohama Rubber fully supports this direction and has been an active participant in the TNFD Forum and the 30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity since January 2023. The company advances conservation across its value chain through initiatives like the YOKOHAMA Forever Forest tree-planting events, water quality and biodiversity monitoring and community awareness programmes at its global sites, alongside promoting agroforestry on natural rubber farms. Operating under its sustainability management slogan, Caring for the Future, the company remains committed to creating shared value by addressing social issues through its core business activities.

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Kumho Tire USA has initiated the Georgia Veterans Tire Assistance Program, building upon its recent alliance with the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation. This new effort will distribute certificates for complete sets of four replacement tyres to 50 financially struggling veterans throughout the state, amounting to 200 tyres with a total value exceeding USD 50,000.

The programme acknowledges that dependable vehicles are critical for veterans to reach jobs, medical facilities and daily essentials. By covering the expense of new tyres, the initiative aims to ensure that recipients can travel safely and without the burden of unexpected automotive costs.

Administration of the programme falls to the GVSF, which will handle applicant selection and the distribution of certificates over the course of the year. Those not chosen in a given round may have their applications reconsidered in subsequent quarters, provided they continue to meet the established criteria.

Eligible applicants must be Georgia residents who are US military veterans, own or routinely use the vehicle in question and hold a valid licence, insurance and registration. Proof of financial hardship and tyres deemed unsafe due to wear, age or damage are also required, with a 24-month restriction on prior assistance. This marks the inaugural project under the Kumho-GVSF partnership, reflecting the tyre manufacturer’s broader dedication to enhancing community safety and mobility.

Edmund Cho, CEO, Kumho Tire USA, said, "When we announced our partnership with the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation, our goal was to identify meaningful ways to support Georgia's veterans and their families. The Georgia Veterans Tire Assistance Program puts that commitment into action by helping veterans maintain reliable transportation for work, appointments, family commitments and everyday needs."

Joe Higgins, Board Chair, Georgia Veterans Service Foundation, said, "The Georgia Veterans Service Foundation is grateful to Kumho Tire for this generous donation to help Georgia veterans continue travelling safely and stay connected to their communities. These tyre certificates will provide meaningful assistance to veterans by improving mobility, safety and access to essential resources."

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Hankook Tire has formalised a new partnership with Special Olympics Tennessee, reinforcing its commitment to community engagement and regional development in Nashville, the site of its North American headquarters. The collaboration centres on supporting the non-profit’s mission to provide year-round athletic training and competition for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

As a primary component of this alliance, Hankook Tire will sponsor and participate in the Music City Corporate Challenge, an Olympic-style event that unites Nashville-area companies in friendly sporting competition. The initiative fosters workplace wellness and camaraderie within the local business sector, ultimately culminating in the crowning of annual champions.

Further extending its support, the tyre manufacturer will also back the Unified Fore Joy Topgolf ProAm fundraising event. Scheduled for 18 September at four Tennessee locations – Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis – the golf fundraiser pairs corporate teams with Special Olympics athletes to generate direct financial support for programmes across the state.

Rob Williams, President, Hankook Tire America Corp, said, “We are excited to partner with Special Olympics Tennessee and participate in the Music City Corporate Challenge,”. “Collaboration is one of Hankook Tire’s core values, and this event provides a meaningful opportunity to connect with other businesses in Nashville while supporting Special Olympics Tennessee. We look forward to competing alongside our peers, underscoring our commitment to social programmes locally and growing together with the local community.”

Adam Germek, President & CEO, Special Olympics Tennessee, said, “Special Olympics Tennessee is thrilled to partner with the Hankook Tire team with both our Music City Corporate Challenge and Unified Fore Joy Topgolf ProAm fundraising events this year. Hankook Tire has an amazing culture of collaboration and philanthropy, and we are so grateful for Hankook Tire team’s support of Special Olympics athletes across our state.”

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Trelleborg Tires received the Best Agriculture Tyre honour at the 15th Prêmio Visão Agro Centro-Sul, a prominent agribusiness awards programme in Brazil. The ceremony took place in Piracicaba, São Paulo, on 14 July, with the accolade celebrating enterprises that drive progress in the nation’s agricultural sector through technological and solution-based contributions.

The distinction does not focus on a singular product but rather validates the overall field performance of Trelleborg’s tyre portfolio across diverse farming scenarios. Engineered specifically for Brazilian operational conditions, these tyres integrate sophisticated design with reliable on-ground results, securing trust among local farmers, contractors, dealers and original equipment manufacturers.

Brazil’s status as a leading global food producer demands constant productivity gains. Leveraging extensive experience in tyre engineering and cooperative relationships with OEMs and rural professionals, Trelleborg continues to deliver solutions tailored for the country’s primary crops. The Visão Agro Centro-Sul selection process combines technical analysis with sector-wide voting, reinforcing the award’s credibility as a key performance indicator in the industry.

Fabio Metidieri, Sales Director – Brazil, Trelleborg Tires, said, "Being recognised by professionals who work in the field every day is especially meaningful for us. This award reflects the confidence our customers place in our tyres after experiencing their performance in real operating conditions. It motivates us to continue developing tyre solutions that help customers maximise the performance of their machines and get more from every operation.”

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Pirelli has been named a ‘2026 Top Graduate Employer Brand’ in China by 51job, a leading domestic human resources firm. The recognition highlights the tyre manufacturer’s effectiveness in attracting top university talent, developing student skills and strengthening its overall employer reputation among young professionals.

Established in 2018, the award programme uses a dual-evaluation system that incorporates feedback from both corporate recruiters and student candidates to ensure impartiality. The 2026 cycle, themed ‘Without Boundaries’, judged participants on several criteria, including campus brand influence, graduate training structures, youth development culture, university partnership depth and compensation competitiveness. Pirelli’s selection underscores its strong resonance with emerging talent and validates its sustained investment in early-career recruitment.

The company operates a year-round campus engagement model, featuring recruitment drives in both spring and autumn that target engineering, business and design disciplines. Selection processes involve structured interviews, assessment centres and business case simulations. For the 2027 graduate cohort, Pirelli has opened positions across a wide array of functions, such as motorsports, research and development, quality, data analytics, production management, lean manufacturing, supply chain, electrical engineering and health, safety and environment.

New graduates enter a two-year induction known as the Warming Up @Pirelli programme, which is structured around four stages: an orientation to corporate culture and strategy, a functional deep-dive into company operations, practical tool acquisition and a reflective session to map future career paths. The initiative emphasises international exposure, cross-functional rotation, executive engagement, hands-on simulations and a round-the-clock digital resource library. Beyond onboarding, Pirelli maintains a global training architecture with four pillars – Professional Academies, School of Management, Global Activities and Local Education – offering continuous professional development across multiple fields while collaborating with top universities for localised, innovation-focused programmes.

Pirelli also champions an inclusive, equitable workplace, guided by the values of inclusion, enhancement and equal opportunity. Its global MORE welfare framework, centred on care for employees, their families and the community, delivers comprehensive health benefits, family support and volunteer engagement, reinforcing the company’s commitment to holistic people development and long-term career growth.

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