Continental steps into Tire Industry Project co-chair role

HANOVER, Germany—Continental A.G. says its commitment to sustainability isn't wavering. And the Hanover-based tire maker is proving it by taking on a more central leadership role with the Tire Industry Project, taking on a co-chair role.

In doing so, Continental joins Bridgestone, Goodyear and Michelin in the role, contributing resources and its long-term expertise in the areas such as end-of-life tires, sustainability assessment methods and sustainable materials.

"Continental pursues ambitious sustainability goals. But we also know that some overarching challenges can only be solved together," Christian Koetz, head of the Tires Group Sector and member of the Executive Board of Continental A.G., said in a statement. "To do so, we increasingly need to set up overarching projects, pool specialist knowledge from all disciplines, and take on responsibility jointly."

And this is where its participation in TIP makes a difference.

Founded in 2005, the Tire Industry Project, part of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, has focused on ensuring the tire industry's path forward is the most sustainable possible. And while it started with a focus on understanding and promoting action to mitigate tire road wear particles, the organization has evolved.

In the nearly two decades since, that core sustainability mission never changed. It's just more comprehensive than ever before. Take, for instance, the initiation of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber in 2017. That organization, focused on improving "the socioeconomic and environmental performance of the natural rubber value chain," was an outgrowth of TIP's original mission.

Today, TIP includes more than nearly a dozen of the world's largest tire makers, and its members represent 60 percent of global tire production capacity.

"TIP was founded to deliver scientific research on tire and road wear particles and other environmental and human health issues facing the industry in 2005, and while our support for research is as important as ever, TIP and our members have evolved to meet broader sustainability challenges," TIP Executive Director Anne-Cecile Remont, said in a statement.

It's a mission that fits well with Continental's overall vision to become "the most progressive manufacturer in terms of sustainability in the tire industry by 2030."

To achieve this aim, Continental is focusing on strategic issues of climate change mitigation, low-emission transportation, the circular economy and sustainable supply chains.