Bridgestone releases CSR report 2010

ERJ staff report (DS)

Japan -- Bridgestone Corp has published its Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) report covering the 12 months to 31 December 2010.

The company said, "Our Group has more than 180 manufacturing and development

facilities in 25 countries and operates in more than 150 countries.

We established the “22 CSR Focus Points” to serve as a Groupwide

common language that would guide the pursuit of

consistent, steadfast CSR activities. In pursuing the 22 points, we

specify an ideal state for each of them and activate an approach

known as the PDCA (“plan,” “do,” “check,” “act”) cycle."

The report goes into considerable detail on the impact on Bridgestone of the Great Tohoku Earthquake in March 2011. IN particular, the company noted tere were no fatalities among employees. Temporary effects of the disaster aside, Bridgestone has said it intends permanently to reduce its power consumption in Northern Japan through reduced use of mixers and other high-power equipment, and using battery packs to store power overnight for use during the day. The company will also review aircon usage and install LED lighting, rather than higher-power alternatives.

Bridgestone also said it aims to design

and manufacture tyres with exceptional fuel efficiency and distribute them

worldwide so that as many customers as possible have access to them.

Bridgestone undertook a years' long research effort

that eventually yielded NanoPro-Tech, an ultrafine technology that allows engineers to control

the molecular structure of rubber on the order of one-millionth of a millimeter. The performance of the tyre is controlled by this type of fine rubber

molecules. Bridgestone is changing the environment of the Earth by manipulating such

fine rubber molecules. NanoPro-Tech, Bridgestone's utmost breakthrough technology,

has allowed engineers to design tyres that deliver high wet grip performance with

reduced rolling resistance.

Bridgestone's analyusis of energy consumption of a tyre shows that 87 percent of the total energy consumption (or 258 kg CO2 equivalent) is generated by rolling resistance during a tyre's life; 7.2 perent is consumed during tyre disposal and less than 6 percent on raw materials, distribution and manufacture.

Bridgestone said it supports tyre labelling as a means of allowing consumers to select the most fuel-efficient tyres for their vehicles.

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CSR report from Bridgestone