NASHVILLE, Tennessee, March 12, 2024 - Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) proudly announces its Firestone Liberia natural rubber growing and processing facility has become the world's first natural rubber farm to earn the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS recognition.
The Firestone Liberia facility, sprawling across approximately 118,990 acres in Harbel, Magibi County, has been awarded the ISCC PLUS certification for its exceptional efforts in reducing environmental impacts, engaging in good agricultural practices, reducing environmental impacts, and building resilience to climate change.
“As we progress in our transformation to a sustainable solutions company, we are making incredible progress toward sustainable manufacturing, “said Rick Burnett, Vice President, Internal Manufacturing Division, Bridgestone Americas and President, Firestone Liberia. “The ISCC PLUS certification is a pivotal milestone which recognizes our actions to sustainably growing and processing natural rubber as we accelerate our progress toward using 100% sustainable materials2 in our products by 2050.”
The ISCC PLUS certification acknowledges the Firestone Liberia facility for its adoption of good agricultural practices, compliance with local regulations, and fostering effective management practices to facilitate ongoing growth and improvement. Additionally, the facility stands as Liberia's largest private employer, offering approximately 4,000 teammates access to free medical care and operating 23 schools, educating over 7,000 students within the community.
The natural rubber sourced from the Firestone Liberia facility is a vital component in Bridgestone's tire manufacturing process. Notably, Bridgestone's flagship EV touring tire, the Bridgestone Turanza EV, incorporates 50% ISCC PLUS-certified recycled and renewable materials, including synthetic rubber, utilized in its production.
This certification represents a significant stride toward the company’s 2050 goal of achieving carbon neutrality and producing tires exclusively from 100% sustainable materials. Bridgestone continues to forge ahead with research and development endeavors, such as the commercialization of guayule natural rubber in tires, to diversify the global natural rubber supply.
The Firestone Liberia facility now joins as the 16th Bridgestone facility or organization to earn the ISCC PLUS certification since 2022. Noteworthy certifications include the Firestone Polymers Polymer Engineering Pilot Center, the first ISCC PLUS certified Bridgestone polymer plant, and the Aiken County, South Carolina, Passenger/Light Truck tire plant and Wilson, North Carolina Passenger/Light Truck tire plant, the first two ISCC PLUS certified tire plants in the U.S.
The ISCC PLUS certification of the Firestone Liberia natural rubber growing and processing facility is in alignment with the "Ecology" values of the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, solidifying Bridgestone's dedication to fostering a more sustainable world.
For more details about Bridgestone Americas and its sustainability initiatives, kindly visit www.BridgestoneAmericas.com and for more details about Firestone Natural Rubber, kindly visit www.firestonenaturalrubber.com.
1 Have a low environmental and social impact over their lifecycle from procurement to disposal.