Hankook Tire has announced a new social responsibility policy to address the natural rubber value chain. The policy aims to secure economic, social and environmental sustainability of the natural rubber supply chain.
Hankook says it plans to help improve the overall quality of life of the natural rubber growers, generally smallholders and upgrade productivity and the quality of natural rubber.
Through the policy, growers, dealers, processors and manufacturers must comply with laws and regulations of the countries in which they operate and also will be required to commit to social responsibility in a variety of fields such as human rights, the environment and increase management transparency. Guidelines for human rights include respect for employees’ free will for labor, compliance with the minimum employment age regulations and prohibit discrimination. In the environmental sector, conservation of biodiversity, utilization of environmentally friendly water sources, optimization of energy usage and prevention of resource depletion are regulated. From growers to manufacturers, efforts also should be made to enhance transparency of the complex natural rubber value chain.
Hankook Tire will conduct a biennial corporate social responsibility (CSR) assessment of its partners to evaluate compliance with the policy. In announcing this plan, Hankoook said, “Together, great efforts will be made to minimize social and environmental impacts caused by non-compliance.”
Hankook Tire’s dedication to fulfilling its commitments and responsibility to sustainability has resulted in the company being listed for three consecutive years, from 2016 to 2018, on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI), the world’s foremost sustainability and investment assessment index, proving its status as a leader in sustainability management.
