How is Michelin integrating the challenges of biodiversity in order to sustainably practice its activities? Businesses have a major role to play in reducing their impacts on biodiversity, and also in restoring and promoting biodiversity and ecosystems. Driven by this belief, Michelin is acting and innovating for biodiversity. May 20 2022 Imprimer “Protecting biodiversity is an essential condition of sustainable economic and human development.” Florent Menegaux, CEO Michelin Group Protecting biodiversity is an essential condition of sustainable economic and human development. Florent Menegaux - CEO Michelin Group Michelin integrates biodiversity concerns into every stage of its tires’ life cycle Acting at every stage of the tire’s life cycle to protect natural ecosystems, and more widely the planet, is an essential for Michelin, which is moreover counting on overcoming the challenge of the 100% sustainable tire by 2050. Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) allow for evaluating the impacts that a product or service has on the environment throughout its lifespan. This is why Michelin works on every stage of a tire’s life cycle, from its component materials, through the manufacture and upstream transport as well as distribution, right up to its use and its end-of-life processing. “By 2030, all the new ranges of products and services marketed will have been subject to an LCA that integrates the biodiversity criteria from the most mature LCA methods.”: this is the aim of Michelin, which has made new commitments for 2030 to Act4Nature International. Further reading: the challenges of the 100% sustainable tire Michelin is innovating beyond the tire in order to protect biodiversity In the face of biodiversity concerns, the Group is also displaying ambitions beyond the tire, exploring new fields that may benefit from its expertise in high-tech materials with the aim of opening the way to innovations that are themselves also favorable to biodiversity. “WISAMO”, the inflatable, retractable and automated wing, revealed during the Movin’On Summit 2021, is the first concrete example of this. “With Wisamo, which uses wind power, we are counting on becoming a topflight player in the decarbonization of shipping, reducing the CO2 emissions that are harmful to biodiversity because of their acidification effect on the oceans,” stated Fabien MONIN, Business Developer - Michelin WISAMO. Michelin gets involved in the Movin’On community of interest, dedicated to the “blue economy” The Group is working alongside partners from the Movin’On ecosystem for a sustainable maritime economy through the “Blue economy” community of interest. Launched last March, the community of interest for which Michelin is one of the leaders along with BNP Paribas aims to outline the major challenges of the maritime economy by 2050. Its members met on May 18 to explore the risks and opportunities that the oceans offer for the development of renewable energies, the future of ports and the recovery of coastlines. Innovations, projects, funding, etc. What will be the breakthrough events and major challenges at the heart of the sustainable blue economy? A community of interest consists in a work group bringing together multiple stakeholders in the Movin’On ecosystem dedicated to sustainable mobility, which studies an issue in line with the Movin’On “combats”. Aim: develop a common vision and experiment with new mobility solutions. To date, Movin’On numbers 32 active communities of interest. Movin'On Connect Michelin commits to a responsible Natural Rubber industry in favor of biodiversity While rubber tree farming in itself does not pose a threat to the environment (carbon capture, soil stabilization, etc.), it still has to be managed in accordance with responsible environmental and social practices. Aware that the growth in global demand may lead to bad practices that are harmful for the forests and ecosystems, the Group is acting for responsible and sustainable management of the rubber cultivation industry. Michelin committed very early on to making the NR industry more sustainable and beneficial to all, by bringing its stakeholders together in a collaborative and transparent approach. A commitment and transparency acknowledged by SPOTT - Sustainability Policy Transparency Toolkit - a platform for assessing environmental, social and governance transparency. With a score of 81.1%, Michelin tops the list of the thirty companies evaluated from the natural rubber sector. This evaluation, published last March, takes into consideration the environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies, commitments and practices communicated by the companies and easily understood by all stakeholders. It also recognizes the Group’s historic commitment to all its stakeholders, investors, clients, etc., including small natural rubber farmers, in order to improve their living conditions and environmental practices. Michelin is contributing to combatting species extinction by encouraging environmentally friendly practices. The proof in pictures! Did you know? Every year, between 17,000 and 100,000 species on our planet become extinct. Some scientists also claim that one-fifth of all living species could become extinct in the next 30 years, mainly due to the destruction of the ecosystems that are home to certain plants and animals. Thanks to responsible activity management, Michelin thus proves that it is still possible to reverse the trend. Did you know? Every year, between 17,000 and 100,000 species on our planet become extinct. Some scientists also claim that one-fifth of all living species could become extinct in the next 30 years, mainly due to the destruction of the ecosystems that are home to certain plants and animals. Thanks to responsible activity management, Michelin thus proves that it is still possible to reverse the trend. Furthermore, several of the Group’s sites are committed to protecting endangered species. For example, in Mexico, the Querétaro site is participating in the program to protect the ponytail palm (Beaucarnea Recurvata). Registered with the SEMARNAT (the [Mexican] federal environment agency), the site today boasts three specimens. Consequently, since 2013, the Group’s industrial and research sites perform inventories of the protected areas and species surrounding them every five years. The last update reported 196 protected zones in five-kilometer radius of the sites. Sustainable materials in tires: MotoE™ sets the tone! Read more Mobility solutions to guarantee access to essential services Read more
