Sustainability matters to Michelin

Actions speak louder than words

Talk is cheap, but the Michelin Group is serious about achieving tangible and measurable results. Édouard Michelin and René Zingraff launched the Group’s approach to sustainability in 2002 with the aim of making Michelin a benchmark for a responsible industry. We’re focused on the environmental impact of tyre use, recycling and disposal, the environmental impact of our manufacturing sites (including the use of renewable energy) and reducing CO2 emissions in logistics.

We align our actions with the United Nations sustainable development goals, pursuing a developmental and sustainable mobility strategy for a more accessible, safer, greener and more efficient future. We are proud of the progress we have already made but there is still so much for us to do.

Success through partnerships

We don’t try to do it alone since partnerships are often the key to success. For instance, Michelin has contributed towards the Livelihoods Carbon Fund since 2014, supporting reforestation, agroforestry and low-carbon oven programmes in Asia, Latin America and Africa. We also have a partnership with Amyris and Braskem to develop and commercialise renewable isoprene (an organic compound used as the main component in natural rubber) from plant sugars.

Michelin initiated Movin’On Labs, a “think and action tank” of more than 250 players – including public and private organisations, consulting groups and researchers – to form a global benchmark network that drives sustainable mobility through innovation.

Michelin is also a member of the Paris Process on Mobility and Climate (PPMC), a coalition of leading transport entities that was formed in 2015 at COP21, which serves to amplify non-governmental voices in the ongoing efforts to implement the Paris Agreement.

It starts at home

Internally, we developed the Environmental Management System to ensure that all Michelin sites control their immediate and long-term environmental impact. In this way, we verify compliance with the law and our internal policies and set annual progress objectives tailored for local issues and Group priorities. We also have initiatives designed to raise awareness and encourage our employees to get involved and share their ideas for sustainable development.

Longer-lasting value

Michelin is determined to resist a culture of planned obsolescence, where products are designed with an artificially limited lifespan. Rather, we strive to ensure that our tyres last as long as possible. However, that longevity will never come at the expense of safety, as Michelin’s sustainable tyres maintain the same superior levels of performance (especially in terms of safety) until they are worn out.

These efforts are epitomised in the Primacy 4, a tyre with exceptional longevity and outstanding performance whether new or worn, thanks to a new generation of high-performance rubber compound. You can learn more about the Primacy 4 and the innovative technology that makes it so special here.