Porsche and Michelin are championing the sustainable extraction of natural rubber. The commitment of the sports car manufacturer and the tyre producer to transparency and better working conditions in the extraction of raw materials is demonstrated by the CASCADE (Committed Actions for Smallholders Capacity Development) project.
CASCADE is one of the first support projects in the world to start at the lowest level of the natural rubber supply chain. Since 2020, the initiative reached 3.600 smallholders trained by local partners to make extraction methods more environmentally compatible and efficient. This makes a significant contribution to sustainably improving the living conditions of smallholder farmers and their families. By 2027, the support is planned to be expanded to 6,500 female and male smallholder farmers.
Long-term partners Porsche and Michelin are supporting Sumatran small plantation farmers in the extraction of rubber. Education and training on cultivation practices, biodiversity and work safety all have the aim of achieving long-term improvements in the living conditions and economic situations of the Indonesian smallholders.
Indonesia is one of the world’s most important rubber production regions and includes the rural Jambi province. Porsche and Michelin identified risks to the sustainability of the supply chain in rubber extraction using an app specially developed for this purpose and by conducting discussions with market participants in the area. Rubber is used in a great many industrial products as a raw material. As an automotive manufacturer, Porsche also contributes to global rubber consumption through its tyres as well as in a wide range of vehicle parts.
