Goodyear Releases Corporate Responsibility Report

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today released its annual report on corporate responsibility performance. The report summarizes the Company’s actions in 2020 that demonstrate its continued commitment to ethical and sustainable processes, materials and programs, the company says.

Goodyear’s 2020 report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards: Core option. This year’s report can be found here.

Goodyear’s 2020 report is organized by the pillars of the Better Future framework, which are sustainable sourcing, responsible operations, advanced mobility and inspiring culture. The company highlights the following:

Sustainable Sourcing: In 2020, Goodyear introduced its fourth consumer tire line that features soybean oil as a replacement for petroleum-derived oils. Soybean oil is a bio-based, renewable resource that helps keep a tire’s rubber compound pliable in low temperatures, a key performance achievement in maintaining and enhancing grip in dry, wet and winter weather.

Responsible Operations: In 2020, Goodyear continued its work to reduce its environment impact, achieving a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity, a 19% reduction in energy intensity and a 55% reduction in water intensity, all compared to a 2010 baseline.

Advanced Mobility: In 2020, Goodyear continued its focus on improving fuel efficiency by achieving a 31% reduction in rolling resistance and an 8.2% reduction in tire weight in its global consumer tire portfolio from a 2005 baseline. In addition, Goodyear introduced bold technology goals, including for all Goodyear tires to be data- and sensor-enabled intelligent tires by 2027 and for the development of a 100% sustainable-material and maintenance- free tire by 2030.

Inspiring Culture: In 2020, associate membership in Goodyear’s Employee Resources Groups (ERGs) continued to grow. The seven ERGs now have more than 3,000 global members and 32 global chapters. Despite the pandemic, the ERGs held more than 200 professional development and networking events in the past two years.

Toyo Tire announced the development of catalysts that convert carbon dioxide into butadiene in high yield in collaboration with the University of Toyama. The company said it and the university successfully synthesized butadiene rubber, a key raw materials for tires, using CO2.

The composition ratios of raw materials used for automobile tires varies by category, and petroleum-derived synthetic rubbers including butadiene units (styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and butadiene rubber (BR)) account for approximately 30% of raw material overall. This being the case, the tire industry has been activating the research of synthesis of butadiene rubber derived from naturally alternative materials (resources) other than petroleum for practical application.