What is Pirelli Doing to Make Tyres More Sustainable?

Road transport accounts for around 15% of global CO2 emissions, and every vehicle on the road uses tyres.

Tyres are made using rubber and rayon amongst other ingredients and their manufacturing accounts for 70% of the world production of natural rubber.

Natural rubber has a complex supply chain, often associated with deforestation and human rights issues.

To combat these issues, Pirelli has announced that all tyres containing natural rubber used in its European plants will be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) by 2026. 

Matteo Battaini, Head of Sustainability and Future Mobility at Pirelli, says: “With rubber in particular there's a long and vulnerable supply chain involved and it is necessary to conduct step-by-step checks to ensure this entire supply chain is compliant with rigorous standards on everything from legal ownership of the land to human rights and child labour.

“We are not just moving fast – we are moving incredibly fast. 

“On the one hand, there is a huge change in the way companies are doing business and a new understanding that we really do have to be different. 

“On the other hand, there is a window of opportunity that has opened up, where what looked like costs of transition are actually opportunities.”

Pirelli 

Pirelli is an Italian multinational tyre manufacturer founded in 1872, with more than 31,000 employees.

It is the sixth largest tyre manufacturer in the world, producing around 74 million per year.

Pirelli aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and net zero by 2040.

Andrew Casaluci, CEO, says: “Looking at the future, we are living in a time of great changes in society and mobility, guided by digitalisation and the need to contain climate change. 

“Pirelli is facing this transformation in the knowledge that, together with challenges, responsibilities and duties, it also brings great opportunities linked to the product world, processes and, above all, the manner in which we conceive of industry itself.”

The company operates in more than 160 countries and has 19 manufacturing sites.

In 2022 its revenue was €6.6bn (US$7.2bn).

Forest Stewardship Council certification

The FSC is an international nonprofit organisation that promotes responsible management of forests by certifying timber.

Founded in 1993, it says forests managed to its standards support four pillars:

• Zero deforestation
• Fair wages and work environments
• The change from preservation to conservation 
• Community rights.

The organisation offers three certification labels to cover materials sourced 100% from FSC-certified forests, 100% recycled or a mixture of these materials.

Kim Carstensen, Director General of the FSC, says: “Forests are a key pillar in the fight against climate change. They provide important ecosystem functions, such as carbon storage. 

“Forests really help us to adapt to climate changes: they participate in regulating precipitation and temperature. 

“At the same time, the biological diversity of forests is important for human survival. It provides us with food, medicine, energy, clean air and water, safety from natural disasters, but it is also a source of recreation and cultural inspiration. 

“Deforestation and forest degradation seriously impairs their ability to play these vital roles, both globally and locally.”

Pirelli’s FSC-certified tyres

Pirelli’s sustainable tyres contain natural rubber and rayon, both certified to the standards of the FSC. 

The P ZERO tyres debuted on Formula 1 cars for the 2024 season, where only FSC-certified tyres will be used on track until at least 2027.

Giovanni Tronchetti Provera, EVP for Motorsport, Sustainability and Future Mobility at Pirelli, says: “The debut of our FSC-certified tyres in the world of motorsport represents a significant moment in Pirelli’s sustainability journey.”

Off track, these tyres will be used on road cars including Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) luxury vehicles and the BMW X5 xDrive45e Plug-in Hybrid, and are even made for bicycles.

As part of its Reimagine strategy, JLR is committed to responsible sourcing which includes working to ensure natural rubber it uses is traceable from processing stage to origin.

Andrea Debbane, Sustainability Director at JLR, says: “This is an exciting point in our sustainable luxury journey, as we partner with Pirelli, a company that shares JLR’s sustainability ambition and is at the forefront of sustainable tyre production. 

“We're looking at every aspect of our vehicles to find solutions that enable us to redefine luxury in a way that's better for people and planet.”

Andrea is speaking at Sustainability LIVE London 2024 in September as part of a panel on Women in Sustainability.

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