fewer emissions in production since 2018
members of the Fair Rubber cooperatives on Java and Sumatra
(as of 06/30/2026)
of cultivated Fair Rubber land
of BOSF conservation area on Borneo
NATURE GIVES US WHAT WE NEED FOR OUR PRODUCTS.
* Both targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) under the SME pathway;
see https://sciencebasedtargets.org/targetdashboar
NET ZERO – OUR CLIMATE GOAL FOR 2040
Schwalbe is pursuing the goal validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative of achieving net zero throughout the entire value chain by 2040 and of halving its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. Its own interim milestone is to cut its total emissions for Germany and its subsidiaries by 55% by 2030; at 62.38%, this has already been achieved. For us, net zero primarily means avoidance and reduction, with in-house carbon pricing to be introduced at the end of 2026/beginning of 2027, approximately 50% of all electricity to be self-generated by 2027 and full electrification of the vehicle fleet planned. Our transition plan has been reviewed with limited assurance.
MOVING MORE. PRODUCING LESS.
Despite significant rises in manufacture, emissions in production have dropped by 31.5% since 2018. The Schwalbe decoupling index shows whether growth and environmental impact are becoming independent of one another: it correlates the volume of tires and inner tubes produced with emissions from the production sites in Indonesia and Vietnam. The first effects became noticeable in 2020, with the index peaking in 2022. A positive decoupling effect was again demonstrated in 2025 with a value of 0.15, this driven by efficiency, renewable energies and recycled materials.
FAIR RUBBER – FAIR FROM THE START
Natural rubber is the most important raw material used in bicycle tires, yet in many places the cultivation thereof is under pressure. Schwalbe was the first tire manufacturer to become a member of the Fair Rubber Association in 2020. For each kilogram of certified dry goods, we pay a premium of €0.50, with the cooperatives themselves deciding how this is to be used. The number of members on Java and Sumatra has now risen from 277 to 4,729 and the proportion of Fair Rubber used in our tires amounts to 40.98%. Over 10,000 smallholders are to benefit from the scheme by 2030. By way of recognition, in 2025 Schwalbe was presented with the German Federal Government’s CSR Award.
RUBBER FROM REGENERATIVE SOURCES
Intact ecosystems form the roots of sustainable mobility. Lots of rubber plantations were originally planted as monocultures; today, select areas are being given over to agroforestry systems, where further species of tree, bush and crops now thrive alongside the rubber trees. This protects the soil, stores water, encourages biodiversity and generates additional income. By 2030, the project on Java and Sumatra is to cover 100 hectares, with a biodiversity monitoring system to be established by 2027. In 2026, Schwalbe was awarded the Biodiversity Prize for Business.
BOSF – PROTECTION OF THE RAINFOREST AND BIODIVERSITY
Together with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, we support the conservation of about 468,000 hectares of rainforest on Borneo. In some parts of Southeast Asia, rubber plantations impinge on the natural habitats of various endangered species, which is why rainforest protection is inextricably linked to our responsibility for the raw materials we procure. Our own climate conservation project with BOSF is to cover an area of 10,000 hectares by 2030. This commitment is also echoed in our own part of Germany: the Sustainability Club at Wiedtal High School, the first prize-winner of the Schwalbe Future Award, has been campaigning for reforestation in Indonesia since 2018.