JLR to roll out FSC-certified natural rubber tyres across its luxury vehicles

JLR has joined forces with global tyre manufacturer Pirelli in a global automotive industry-first commitment to use FSC-certified natural rubber tyres across its range of modern luxury vehicles.

The luxury car manufacturer will be the first to adopt FSC-certified tyres at scale, transitioning all tyres from Pirelli across its entire portfolio, debuting on the new Range Rover Electric. The commitment will amount to over 250,000 FSC-certified tyres per year.

The collaboration between JLR and Pirelli represents a significant step in increasingly sustainable tyre production and adoption, supporting the preservation of forests and promoting sustainable development.

As part of its Reimagine strategy, JLR is fully committed to responsible sourcing, including working to ensure natural rubber used in its tyre production is traceable across every processing stage through to origin.

The complex Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain of custody certification process verifies that FSC-certified material has been identified and separated from non-certified material as it makes its way along the supply chain, from the plantations to the tyre manufacturer meaning it is fully verified to be sustainably farmed to the highest standards.

Andrea Debbane, Sustainability Director at JLR, said: “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. By choosing Pirelli’s FSC-certified tyres, we’re offering our clients high-quality, high-performance tyres whilst supporting responsible forest management and protecting the communities in our rubber supply chain to drive real progress.”

Matteo Battaini, Pirelli Head of Sustainability & New Mobility, said: “Innovation in materials and reliability on our products sustainability features are a must for us. The FSCTM certification confirms that forests are managed to preserve biological diversity, while benefiting local workers and communities in a way that is economically beneficial for them. We are pleased that JLR has chosen to join our Pirelli journey as the first car maker to use Pirelli tyres with this certification across a wide range of vehicles.”

FSC insights show that awareness and understanding of the FSC logo is increasing. A 2023 survey revealed that 77% of people in the UK recognise the FSC logo and 71% would be very or fairly likely to give preference to FSC-certified products 1.

In addition to introducing FSC-certified products across JLR’s portfolio, Pirelli and JLR are working together to increase the percentage of sustainable and recycled content of all tyres supplied to JLR as they work towards shared sustainability ambitions.

JLR has also strengthened its global sourcing process to enable supplier evaluation on ESG criteria, as part of its effort to set new benchmarks for environmental, societal and community impact as a luxury business.

By empowering buyers to collect supplier-specific ESG data it can identify and select suppliers that can demonstrate they meet the highest standards relating to environmental performance, labour practices, and social responsibility.

MIKE OCHONMA