Bridgestone Announces Global Road Safety Support Through Donations to UNRSF

Bridgestone Corporation today announced that it will donate U.S.$1.0 million (approximately 129 million)^*1 to the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF)^*2 over the four-year period spanning from 2022 to 2025. Given its foundation as a tire company, the Bridgestone Group understands that road safety is essential to mobility systems and resilient communities. This initiative aligns with “Ease: Committed to bringing comfort and peace of mind to mobility life” and “Empowerment: Committed to contributing to a society that ensures accessibility and dignity for all” stated in a corporate commitment: the “Bridgestone E8 Commitment.”^*3

Each year, more than 1.35 million people around the world lose their lives to traffic accidents, which have identified as a major cause of death of young people, and more than 90% of these accidents take place in low- to middle- income countries. The Bridgestone Group conducts business in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide. While delivering products and services that underpin safety and security, the Group also contributes to road safety in its daily business activities through tire safety inspections. Furthermore, the Group conducts initiatives such as road safety trainings for raising awareness among employees, while providing education about road safety in local communities for present and future generations. For more information on the Bridgestone Group’s activities, please visit “Bridgestone 3.0 Journey 2022 Integrated Report.”^*4

At the same time, in 2020, the UN General Assembly proclaimed the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030,^*5 during which action will be encouraged for reducing fatal traffic accidents by at least 50% from 2021 to 2030. This campaign is indicative of the rising road safety expectations of the global community, expecting UN member countries to continue their road safety initiatives during this decade. Meanwhile, the Tire Industry Project, an organization comprised of 10 major global tire manufacturers announced Tire Sector SDG Roadmap^*6 for the industry’s contributions to the accomplishment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2021. This road map prescribes concrete action framework for working toward SDG Target 3.6 (Halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents), which is an important target for the industry.

As a global leader in the tire and rubber industry, the partnership through donations to the UNRSF is aimed at further enhancing Bridgestone’s road safety activities where it operates while will also target continuous contributions to global road safety, which include the development of road infrastructure, promotion of multimodal transportation, and use of land centered on low- to middle-income countries. Leveraging the global presence that constitutes one of its strengths, the Bridgestone Group is committed to building trusting relationships with local communities. At the same time, the Group working to live up to the expectations of the global community through activities with a unified approach together with various partnerships.

“Bridgestone believes that it is our role and responsibility to support safe mobility and lifestyles from the ground up, and contribute to realizing a sustainable society. The Group is proud to join the global collaboration driving the UN Road Safety Fund’s vision of “building a world where roads are safe for every road user, everywhere”, which align closely with “Ease: Committed to bringing comfort and peace of mind to mobility life” included in our corporate commitment, the Bridgestone E8 Commitment. Through this partnership, the Bridgestone Group strives further to improve the safety and lives of present and future generations,” said Shu Ishibashi, Global CEO and Representative Executive Officer, Bridgestone Corporation.

« We are pleased to count on the support of an innovation company, such as Bridgestone, who joins our road safety partnership working towards halving traffic fatalities and injuries affecting communities worldwide. To disrupt this urgent crisis requires concerted global action, and we are proud to see this continued growth of the UN Road Safety Fund’s public-private partnership, » said Mr. Jean Todt, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety.

Source: Bridgestone