Bridgestone serves up new CSR programme

Tokyo — Bridgestone Corp. has unveiled a refined global corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment called "Our Way to Serve," centered on three priorities: mobility, people and environment.

The new commitment "reflects the company's long-standing philosophy of serving society with superior quality and a recognition that the best companies not only perform for their stakeholders, but also contribute to a better world," the company said.

"We live in a time of unprecedented global change. Whether growing social inequalities, the myriad impacts of globalization, or the effects of climate change — the world is faced with many great challenges," Masaaki Tsuya, Bridgestone's global CEO and representative executive officer, said in a statement.

"Our team has always embraced its responsibility to help advance sustainable development and solve world problems, but is now focusing on priority areas that can best be impacted by Bridgestone's leading scale and unique knowledge."

Bridgestone said it is committed to:

providing easier, safer, smoother and more seamless mobility for its customers;

building safer and healthier communities and improving access to education; and

working toward a sustainable society by operating in harmony with nature, valuing natural resources and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

During 2017, Bridgestone said its employees will be working to refine environment targets and establish measurable key performance indicators for the mobility and people priority areas based on best practices and key stakeholder engagements.

Bridgestone said it also is strengthening basic governance, compliance and behavioural characteristics, including: compliance and fair competition; business continuity and risk management; human rights and labour practices; safety and industrial hygiene; procurement; and quality and customer value.

Since it conducts business in more than 150 countries, Bridgestone said it believes in the importance of building relationships with and contributing to the local communities where it operates.