FINDLAY, Ohio — Cooper Tire & Rubber Company today released its seventh annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability report: “Responsibility the Cooper Way.” It is available at the company’s corporate website.
“Cooper considers corporate social responsibility and sustainability to be an important part of doing business. Publishing this yearly report allows us to detail our progress with initiatives that reduce environmental impact, improve employee health and safety, and support communities,” said Brad Hughes, Cooper’s president and CEO. “We are committed to these efforts and reporting our progress to key stakeholders.”
Highlights from Cooper’s report include:
Employee health and safety:
Cooper continues to promote a zero-injury culture through a “Drive to Zero” global safety campaign, which demonstrates the company’s commitment to continuous improvement toward becoming an injury-free workplace. The Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) in Cooper’s tire manufacturing plants worldwide has improved more than 65 percent in the last three years, placing the organization at its lowest recordable TRIR rate since tracking this metric.
Sustainable natural rubber:
Cooper has signed on as a founding member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR). The GPSNR is a coordinated, universal and standard industry approach that is driving toward solutions to establish and promote sustainable rubber practices. Cooper is among the leaders in the industry who established this important work that was initiated by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Tire Industry Project (TIP).
Energy optimization:
Cooper has developed a global energy program that has consistently completed projects and activities to significantly offset energy use, leading facilities worldwide to make strides in energy optimization efforts and greenhouse gas reduction. At Cooper’s Findlay plant, a combined heat and power system is providing onsite generation of approximately 50 percent of the plant’s electrical power needs. The system generates steam that is required for plant processes and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Landfill usage:
Cooper continues to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfills from Cooper’s manufacturing plants. Also, the amount of waste that is recycled and reused by other sources continues to improve. Cooper is recycling approximately 78 percent of the waste annually.
Tire safety education:
Cooper continues to support its signature cause of tire and vehicle safety for teens and young adults through the Tread Wisely program. Hundreds of Cooper employees have volunteered to share this important safety message, by taking part in events and speaking directly with young drivers. Since the program’s launch, hundreds of thousands of teens and young adults worldwide have been reached through the Tread Wisely effort.
About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: CTB) is the parent company of a global family of companies that specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sale of passenger car, light truck, medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. Cooper’s headquarters is in Findlay, Ohio, with manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design operations within its family of companies based in over one dozen countries worldwide. For more information on Cooper, visit www.coopertire.com, www.facebook.com/coopertire or www.twitter.com/coopertire.
