HANOVER, Germany—For the fourth consecutive year, Continental A.G. has achieved the highest grade from the Carbon Disclosure Project in reducing CO2 emissions along its supply chain.
The non-profit, London-based CDP began as a tool to mitigate climate change, and high grades are issued to companies that have reached green goals and emission thresholds.
Conti was in the top 8 percent of more than 13,000 companies considered, the company said in a March 11 release.
"We look at the entire value chain of our products, from material sourcing to recycling," said Claus Petschick, head of sustainability at Continental Tires. "This is the only way we can achieve truly sustainable supply chains that conserve resources and support important climate protection goals at the same time.
"Continental's goal is to achieve fully sustainable supply chains by 2050 at the latest."
According to Conti, its holistic approach to climate risk mitigation was what helped the company stand out.
Get the biggest rubber industry news first. Faster. Learn more at rubbernews.com/subscribe.
"We're involved in many projects and initiatives to integrate suppliers into our supply chains," Petschick said. "Innovative technologies and digitalization are the primary tools we use to make environmental risks transparent and to reduce these risks within our complex supply chain."
Self-reporting also was important to Conti's supply chain sustainability recognition, as the company since 2017 has been working with EcoVadis on similar supply chain mitigation.
Other ventures have seen Conti partner with German development organization Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit in tracing natural rubber in Indonesia.
The project streamlined the supply chain and benefited smallholders in increased quantities, quality and yields of NR.
The venture also will help stem logging and deforestation.
Sustainable raw materials in tire manufacturing also have been important to Conti, as the company continues to research the use of the Russian dandelion for extracting natural rubber.
The tire maker's goal to be 100-percent sustainable in its use of raw materials by 2050 also has come through the use of recycled polyester from recycled plastic bottles in its tires; the use of silicate from rice husks as a tire additive; and the use of plant-based oils and resins to reduce the amount of crude oil-based resources in tire products.
The top rating for its supply chain sustainability from the CDP followed a grade of "B" for its water management efforts.
Rubber News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].