Bridgestone Announces Action Plan for the
“MAKE CARS GREEN" Initiative


The Automobile, Transport and the Environment Summit on June 5, 2008

Promoting Eco-Conscious Driving
Around the World

Tokyo (June 5, 2008) – Bridgestone Corporation announced its action plan for the 'MAKE CARS GREEN' initiative, which seeks to raise awareness about the need for greener motoring around the world, at “The Automobile, Transport and the Environment Summit” on World Environment Day* held in New Zealand today. The Bridgestone Group will promote the initiative on a worldwide scale as a global partner of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

 Mr. Shoshi Arakawa, Chairman of the Board, CEO and President of Bridgestone Corporation, and Mr. David Ward, Director General of the FIA Foundation, made the announcement at a

conference in Parliament in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, which is hosting World Environment Day in 2008.

By working with automobile clubs in various countries, the “MAKE CARS GREEN” initiative aims to reduce the impact of motoring on the environment by educating drivers about more environmentally-friendly and fuel-efficient behaviour. The “MAKE CARS GREEN” initiative will focus on “10 points for greener motoring*3” and will encourage drivers to “think green” when they drive.
Please refer to the following page for details of Bridgestone's activities associated with this initiative.

Bridgestone Group Action Plan

  1. Enlightenment activities within the Group
    The Bridgestone Group will promote activities to increase awareness and understanding of green motoring to all employees within the Group. These environmental educational activities will then be expanded to the families and friends through the employees.
     

  2. Enlightenment activities for drivers
    In conjunction with automobile clubs, the Bridgestone Group will deploy activities to increase environmental awareness and understanding through its sales network and various events.

Environmental conservation is one of the most critical issues of our time. The Bridgestone group has been expanding and enhancing its efforts to help preserve a safe environment for future generations. This collaboration with the FIA is an excellent opportunity to strengthen the global reach of Bridgestone’s environmental initiative.

Notes:

  1. World Environment Day was established to commemorate the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment initially held in Stockholm, Sweden on June 5, 1972. Every year, the United Nations has set June 5 as World Environment Day to raise awareness and discuss ways to educate people about environmental conservation.
     

  2. The FIA Foundation is an UK-based international charitable foundation created in 2001 with a $300 million donation from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). Its mission is to conduct research and promotional campaigns in areas related to road safety, the environment and development of the automobile industry. The FIA, which is a non-profit federation of motoring organizations from all over the world, is the governing body of international motor sports.
     

  3. 10 points for greener motoring:
    (1) Buy Green
    (2) Plan your journey
    (3) Check tyre pressures frequently
    (4) Reduce loads and avoid the need for roof racks
    (5) Don’t warm up your engine before starting off
    (6) Use air conditioning only when necessary
    (7) Accelerate gently and keep your speed constant
    (8) Use engine braking
    (9) Don’t idle your engine
    (10) Offset your CO2 emissions

Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company. In addition to tyres for use in a wide variety of applications, it manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.

 

 In line with its status as company with a vast global presence, Bridgestone has formulated a universal environmental policy, dubbed “One Team, One Planet,” to unite it with people and organizations beyond the standard corporate framework as well as to ensure the safety of the children of the world.

 

This mark expresses the environmental management activities promoted by Bridgestone. The “e” represents the first letter of the word “Ecology”, the cornerstone of these activities. The mark also symbolizes the seeds borne from our eco foundations in the form of a clear sky and growing trees.

 
 

June 2008