ENSO has become the world’s first tyre company to achieve B Corporation (B-Corp) Certified business status.
The London-based tyre firm develops next-generation energy-efficient, low-emission tyres exclusively for EVs to increase their range and reduce tyre pollution.
This particular award is given to organisations excelling in making a sustainable and ethical impact while striving for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy.
ENSO’s business operations and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy was rigorously assessed by an independent third-party to evaluate its commitment to meeting high standards and to verify performance, accountability, and transparency.
To qualify for B-Corp status, businesses must score 80 or above during an impact assessment. ENSO scored 97.7 joining only 4,740 other businesses across 155 industries in 78 countries to become certified.
As it stands, tyres are largely unregulated, and their impact has been overlooked compared with tailpipe emissions.
Actually, tyres are emerging as a leading source of air and ocean pollution.
As they wear down, they emit more PM2.5 and PM10 air pollution than tailpipes, with tyre PM pollution also making up more than 28% of all primary ocean microplastics, according to ENSO.
To make matters worse, tyre pollution is on the rise. This is in part due to the rapidly expanding EV sector as EVs wear tyres around 20-50% faster than ICE models.
EVs are typically heavier and have more torque, which means their tyres need to be replaced more often, leading to higher levels of waste.
Conventional tyres are also rarely optimised for EVs meaning EV energy-efficiency and range is significantly below what is possible.
To help combat this, ENSO has developed ultra-energy-efficient tyres that have achieved ‘A’ energy efficient ratings in Germany and Spain.
In June 2021, its tyres broke a Hypermiling World Record by increasing the range of an unmodified all-electric Renault Zoe by 50 miles compared to standard OE tyres.
Another focus of the firm’s is to make its tyres more durable to reduce tyre pollution and increase renewable raw materials. This reduces the impact of tyres across the lifecycle and means they do not need to be replaced so often.
G. Erlendsson, founder and chief executive of ENSO, said: “We are leading a new movement in tyre development, so to be the first tyre company in the world to be awarded B-Corp status is a huge recognition and validation of our commitment to sustainably delivering a cleaner future for mobility. We hope our B-Corp certification will signal a vital move within the industry and inspire other tyre manufacturers to prioritise purpose over profit.”