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Next (Next-Generation Products & Solutions)
- The Sumitomo Rubber Group
Management Approach
With the Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ R&D organization and facilities at the core of our efforts, we promote R&D activities in a wide range of fields related to the Tire, Sports, Industrial and Other Products businesses in close cooperation with subsidiaries and affiliates around the world.
The intellectual capital accumulated through such activities becomes the driving force that generates products with competitive advantages as well as new growth.
Underpinning the activities of our Tire Business is the question “How can tires contribute to the global environment?” To this end, the Group is developing environmentally friendly products with a focus on three areas—fuel efficiency, raw materials and resource saving.
While the environment surrounding the automobile industry faces drastic changes, the Group is pushing forward with the development of environmentally friendly products based on its “ENASAVE Technologies,” which deliver “even higher environmental performance.”
8. Pursuit of eco-friendly products and services that boast high quality in terms of safety, security and comfort
Targets and Results Relative to Sustainability Initiatives
- The Sumitomo Rubber Group
In line with the Sumitomo Rubber Group’s Long-Term Sustainability Policy: “Driving Our Future Challenge 2050,” we verify results achieved thus far against targets specified under this policy and then formulate targets for the upcoming fiscal year.
Here, we present targets and results for each item.
| Targets under the Long-Term Sustainability Policy | PLAN Fiscal 2022 Target |
DO Fiscal 2022 Activity Results |
CHECK Self-Assessment |
ACTION Fiscal 2023 Target |
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| Product Innovation | |||||
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Promote the development of Active Tread | Promoted technological development related to Active Tread | 100％ | Undertake development with an eye to commercializing next-generation tires equipped with Active Tread technologies in 2024 |
| Unveiled a plan to release next-generation tires equipped with Active Tread technologies in 2024 as part of the Midterm Plan | |||||
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Create an internal standard for a sustainable product certification system | Established internal standard for a sustainable product certification system as well as targets for 2030 | 100％ | Initiate product planning aligned with the sustainable product certification system and develop an internal structure to this end |
| Resource Circulation Sustainable Raw Materials |
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Discuss measures to raise the recycling ratio | Discussed measures to raise the recycling ratio | 100％ | Continue discussions to raise the recycling rate |
| Discuss candidates for alternative raw materials | Discussed candidates for alternative raw materials | Continue discussions to identify candidates for alternative raw materials | |||
| Discuss facility upgrades | Discussed facility upgrades | Discuss facility upgrades while planning measures to introduce novel types of raw materials | |||
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4.5% reduction in plastic usage compared to 2021 levels | Abolished plastic lids for tennis ball packaging | 85％ | Continue striving to reduce plastic usage in packaging materials, etc. |
| Implemented initiatives to reduce plastic usage in promotional materials used in Tire, Sports and Industrial Products businesses | |||||