BMW has announced the launch of a new Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR).
The automotive industry is one of the world's largest rubber consumers and the German car manufacturing company is responsible for using around 24,000 tons every year for car tires and other parts, with the product used more in cars nowadays and not just for tires.
BMW has been involved in multiple projects as it relates to the sourcing of sustainable rubber in recent times and given this new platform, it could go some way into slowing down climate change and other adverse effects
GPSNR was created through the participation of social institutions, NGOs and the rubber processing industry with the aim of making the whole rubber value chain genuinely imperishable.
"Development of the GPSNR was initiated by the CEOs of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Tire Industry Project (TIP) in November 2017. Members of the platform include tire manufacturers, rubber suppliers and processors, vehicle makers and NGOs. Representatives from each of these stakeholder groups have contributed to the development of the Singapore-based platform and the wide-reaching set of priorities that will define GPSNR strategy and objectives."
Rubber is made from the latex milked from rubber trees. Cultivation of such trees mostly take place in monocultures in Southeast Asia across space spanning more than eight million hectares.
Small farms grow over 80 percent of natural rubber, which makes it difficult to accurately track social and environmental growing conditions. As such, all GPSNR members have pledged to find ways to improve social and environmental conditions from for cultivation while urging sustainability to their partners.
Further measures will be implemented to battle deforestation and to ensure more supply chain transparency.
As things stand, over 40 members are participating in the project, mostly including tire manufacturers, suppliers and NGOs.