GM commits to sustainable natural rubber for its tyres
General Motors (GM) has committed to purchase tyres made of sustainable natural rubber in a move designed to safeguard the material's long-term availability. The carmaker, which sources some 49 million tyres each year, is developing a set of purchasing requirements to reduce deforestation and uphold human rights. GM will meet with stakeholders next month to cement its rules for sourcing rubber. It also plans to draw up a sustainable rubber road map for the automotive industry by the end of this year. 
DETROIT -- General Motors said it will commit to buying sustainable natural rubber for the 49 million tires it buys annually, an initiative aimed at helping small rubber farmers while protecting company profits by ensuring the material’s long-term availability.

The automaker today said it is developing a set of purchasing requirements that call for sustainably harvested rubber and encouraging other automakers to follow similar practices to reduce deforestation and uphold human and labor rights.

“This isn’t just about going green,” said David Tulauskas, GM’s director of sustainability. “It’s about driving real business results.”

GM said it wants to only use rubber that does not contribute to deforestation, was harvested in ways that contribute to the economic and social development of an area, and is managed in a transparent and traceable manner. The company and tire suppliers it is working with on the initiative -- including Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear and Michelin -- say they can’t fully replace natural rubber with synthetics, but they can ensure that it’s obtained responsibly.