German rubber-product makers' group joins Fair Rubber initiative

Frankfurt, Germany – German rubber-product and tire manufacturers association the WDK announced 4 Oct that it has joined the Fair Rubber initiative.

Launched in 2012, Fair Rubber is a multi-stakeholder initiative that applies the principles of fair trade to support environmentally friendly production of natural rubber.

Frankfurt-based WDK joined the initiative on 1 Sept as a “supporting member”, to promote fairness and transparency in the natural rubber trading.

The move is also intended to reinforce the industry body's campaign for the responsible procurement of raw materials and services across the industry.

“Together with our member companies, we look at the entire value-chain from raw material to recycling," said managing director Boris Engelhardt.

The goal is "to make a positive contribution to achieving the sustainable development goals of the UN,” explained the WDK leader.

According to WDK estimates, natural rubber represents about one third of the annual demand for rubber in Germany.

Mostly produced by small-scale farmers in developing and emerging countries, the commodity is traded through “complex intermediary structures” at the global level.

Fair Rubber aims to improve the livelihoods of rubber farmers by enabling end-users to directly support small and micro enterprises, noted Dr Veronika Beer, WDK's head of sustainable development.

A Fair Rubber logo has been developed as a 'seal of quality' for products that meet the criteria around the trading of natural rubber.