Corporate News

Sumitomo Rubber Issue "Social and Environmental Report 2006" in Japanese

2006.07.27

Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. recently issued "Social and Environmental Report 2006," report of the group's social and environmental activities in the year of 2005.

The Kobe-based company publishes its environmental report every year since 2001.  In 2005, the title of the report was changed to social and environmental report to include its social aspects such as compliance and labor- and safety-related issues in addition to its activities for environmental protection.

In "Social Environmental Report 2006," the company selected and explained Sumitomo Rubber's three unique activities and achievements for the next generation in the feature titled "For the Next Generation."

  1. R&D story of 70% non-petroleum tire ENASAVE ES801 and challenge in development of 97% non-petroleum tire by 2008
  2. Achievement of complete zero emissions by all 6 domestic plants and zero emissions by all 6 tire factories at home and abroad
  3. 40-year-old program to teach Genchi-Genbutsu-ism and scientific approach to make foundations of manufacture

Major environment-related achievements in 2005 are as follows.

  1. The 10 major domestic and overseas plants completed to obtain ISO14001 certificate.
  2. The domestic plants reduced CO2 by 1% thanks to the cogeneration system introduced by all 4 tire plants, though they increased production by 5% than 2004.
  3. The Ichijima and the Kakogawa plants achieved complete zero emissions, which means that the 6 major domestic plants have achieved complete zero emissions.
  4. The group reduced organic solvent by 39% compared to 2000.
  5. Plants outside of Japan also made remarkable achievements.
    1. The plants in Malaysia and China obtained ISO14001 certificate.
    2. The Chinese plants achieved zero emissions and published environmental report