Bridgestone says its tyre manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune, India, has been verified as carbon neutral for scopes 1 and 2 emissions.
This milestone was achieved through an audit conducted in May and June 2023, followed by verification according to the international PAS 2060 standard for the year 2022, performed by the leading global assurance partner, LRQA.
The certification reflects Bridgestone’s commitment to decarbonise its manufacturing capacity as part of its global goal to achieve carbon neutrality (scopes 1 and 2) by 2050 and reduce CO2 emissions from its operations by 50% by 2030, compared to the 2011 benchmark.
The leading tyres and solutions firm said that opening the carbon neutral plant marks a significant achievement in its sustainability journey.
The Pune manufacturing facility, which produces more than 4 million tires annually, has made impressive progress in reducing its carbon footprint, achieving a 94% reduction over the years.
This achievement can be attributed to various initiatives, including the installation of solar panels at the plant and the operation of a carbon-neutral biomass-based boiler plant that uses biomass briquettes made from agricultural waste.
To offset 2,974 tons of CO2 emissions at the site, Bridgestone India has purchased Verified Carbon Standard credits from a bundled solar photovoltaic project by Acme, India. This project generates energy from solar panels, with the energy exported to regional power grids in several states in India, including Telangana, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
As part of the PAS 2060 verification, the Chakan plant has committed to a further CO2 reduction plan for the next three years, emphasizing its dedication to sustainable practices.
Stefano Sanchini, Managing Director of Bridgestone India, commented on the achievement, saying: “Bridgestone is globally committed to the realiaation of a carbon-neutral mobility society, and we in India are focused on this goal.
“Other than the solar power plant and the carbon-neutral boiler, we have undertaken various measures at the shop-floor level too. We are continuing to replace diesel-based forklifts with electric-powered ones and using electric power to replace LPG. Our future plans include further increasing the use of green energy, reducing carbon emissions in our overall operations, and tracking scope 3 emissions.”
Olga Rivas, ESG Product Cluster Manager at LRQA, added: “This verification ensures that Bridgestone’s reported data and information are reliable and supported by efficient management systems. After reviewing Bridgestone’s information, we confirm its commitment to a decarbonization strategy, and we have been able to provide the verification statement PAS 2060 for Carbon Neutrality, Scope 1, and 2 for the Pune Plant. We are delighted to be part of Bridgestone’s decarbonization project, as our focus at LRQA is on supporting clients to ensure the trustworthiness of their sustainability strategies and climate change claims.”
Bridgestone’s sustainability efforts align with its vision to provide social and customer value as a sustainable solutions company toward 2050. These efforts embody the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, consisting of eight areas (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, Empowerment) that guide the company to conduct business in a sustainable manner.
Koji Takagi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Bridgestone EMIA, concluded: “Globally, Bridgestone is guided by a deep-rooted mission of ‘Serving Society with Superior Quality,’ and to provide social and customer value as a sustainable solutions company. Towards this end, the Company is committed to the realization of a carbon-neutral mobility society. The carbon-neutral certification of one of our two tire plants in India is a historic landmark in the Company’s commitment towards sustainability, more so as Bridgestone has set a goal to become carbon neutral by 2050, in line with the Paris climate agreement.”
