How Continental is Driving More Sustainable Manufacturing

Continental’s manufacturing facility in Korbach, Germany has become the company’s fourth site to receive the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS sustainability certification. The company makes car and bicycle tyres, as well as high-performance tyres for technologically advanced vehicles, at the plant.
The certification demonstrates that Continental, one of the world’s leading tyre manufacturers, meets specific standards related to the development of a more traceable and responsible supply chain. This includes the proper documentation of sourcing and use of more sustainable materials and the traceability of the raw materials used in production processes.
As well as Korbach, Continental has ISCC PLUS-certified production sites in Portugal, China and Slovakia. The certification is an important part of the company’s sustainability ambitions for 2050 and helps it to ensure end-to-end traceability of materials from renewable and recycled sources.
To meet the certification, Continental has to comply with and document process for the mass-balance approach to raw materials, which is a key enabler for the transition to a bio- and circular economy. It involves scaling up the volumes of recycled and bio-based materials that are used in manufacturing and production processes alongside fossil feedstock while gradually increasing the proportion of sustainable materials.
Under the mass-balance approach, material quantities are tracked along the entire value chain, ensuring that the share of certified sustainable materials is reported accurately.
Sustainability at Continental
Continental aims to become the most progressive tyre manufacturer in terms of environmental and social responsibility by 2030. It also plans to be completely climate neutral by 2050.
To deliver on its vision for a cleaner, more sustainable and carbon-neutral future for mobility, Continental drives innovative technologies and sustainable solutions across its entire value chain, from design, sourcing and operations through to product use and waste. Replacing as many raw materials as possible with sustainable alternatives is central to the company’s clean transformation – it is targeting the use of more than 40% renewable and recycled materials in tyres by 2030.
In the future, Continental says tyres will be produced from materials including agricultural waste like ash from rice husks and sustainable carbon black or recycled steel.
Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental, says certifications such as ISCC Plus contribute to meeting the company’s goals: “We are consistently increasing the amount of renewable and recycled materials in our tyres. Our ambition is to roll out the mass-balance approach to all of our tyre plants worldwide."
At Korbach, Continental actively explores the use of alternative materials and production methods. The site houses the company’s High Performance Technology Center, an R&D facility that develops new technologies and materials for tyres and automotive systems. It also produces the Urban Taraxagum, the only production tyre made of dandelion rubber that combines local production with minimal transport distances in the supply chain.
“Our ISCC PLUS certification, as well as our latest step – the use of recycled PET bottles in series production – are proof of our consistent implementation here in Korbach," explains Klaus Ohlwein, Head of the Korbach plant. “Our high-performance tyres not only deliver outstanding performance but also increasingly support the bio-based and circular economy.”
What is the ISCC?
The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification was established in 2010 and is a globally applicable certification system focused on traceability, climate-friendly solutions, reducing deforestation and promoting sustainability in the supply chain.
The organisation is a participant in the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest sustainability initiative, and implements certification standards to help mitigate the impacts of global climate change and to bring greater traceability to global supply chains and markets.
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