Yokohama Rubber Participating in PROJECT TREE to Improve Natural Rubber Sustainability

Yokohama Rubber announces that it has joined PROJECT TREE, an initiative founded by ITOCHU Corporation to promote the sustainability of natural rubber. PROJECT TREE aims to realize transparency in the natural rubber supply chain through a blockchain-based traceability system. Yokohama Rubber is using natural rubber procured through the PROJECT TREE framework and began supplying tires for commercial vehicles operated by FamilyMart Co., Ltd. as project-supported tires on September 25, 2026.

Natural rubber is an important natural resource, accounting for about 30% of the raw materials used in tires, which account for about 70% of the global consumption of natural rubber. The great majority of the world’s natural rubber is produced by small-scale farmers in such countries as Thailand and Indonesia, and the tire industry is taking action to support these farmers, including promoting forest conservation, considerations for human rights, improving their agricultural technology, and measures to stabilize their livelihoods. PROJECT TREE enables identification of natural rubber sourcing areas and provides support for natural rubber farmers, including incentives from companies using their natural rubber and agricultural training programs.

To date, Yokohama Rubber has been proactively promoting initiatives to improve the traceability of natural rubber. For example, Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd., the company’s natural rubber processing subsidiary, has obtained the Chain of Custody (CoC) certification provided by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), an international forest certification organization, in recognition of the company’s responsible management of the processing and distribution of natural rubber. Yokohama Rubber is also using the RubberWay® Geo-Mapping, a risk assessment tool, and is advancing measures that are compliant with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR*). Yokohama Rubber also has been promoting initiatives that support small-scale natural rubber farmers in the Surat Thani Province of Thailand for several years now. In addition to these activities, Yokohama Rubber’s participation in PROJECT TREE will further strengthen supply chain transparency and its support for natural rubber suppliers. *The EUDR, which will apply from December 30, 2026 onward, will obligate any operator that deals in natural rubber or other related products in the EU to perform due diligence to prove that the products do not originate from recently deforested land or have contributed to deforestation.

A founding member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), Yokohama Rubber revised its “Procurement Policy for Sustainable Natural Rubber” in September 2021 and is strengthening its collaboration with GPSNR activities. Yokohama Rubber also is endeavoring to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations. As part of these efforts, the Yokohama Rubber Group is promoting the procurement of sustainable raw materials, including natural rubber.

Under the sustainability slogan “Caring for the Future,” Yokohama Rubber is creating shared value by addressing social issues through its business activities.

Source: Yokohama