Sustainability & ESG

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - April 4, 2026 - Packaging equipment manufacturer Sidel has secured two sustainability recognitions at the SEAL Awards 2026, signaling that its ESG metrics, supply chain governance, and environmental disclosure practices now meet or exceed the benchmark thresholds the program uses to distinguish verified environmental performance from self-reported claims.

What the SEAL Awards measure

The SEAL (Sustainability, Environmental Achievement and Leadership) Awards apply a structured, multi-criteria methodology rather than a single score. Weighting is distributed across six categories: Metrics (35%), Strategy (30%), Supply Chain ESG/CSR (15%), Governance (10%), Disclosure and Accountability (5%), and Corporate Citizenship (5%). Winners must meet or exceed established baseline and comparative benchmarks across each dimension, meaning recognition cannot be achieved by strong performance in one area alone.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - April 3, 2026 - Food manufacturers across Europe face tightening regulatory requirements on packaging reuse and climate-adaptive sourcing, pushing procurement and operations teams to evaluate equipment portfolios ahead of the next budget cycle. Sidel's presence at CFIA Rennes 2026 - held March 10-12 in Rennes, France - placed food-grade packaging technology directly in front of buyers navigating these structural shifts.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - April 4, 2026 - Research teams and organizations working on animal feed and flour milling innovation now have a structured path to external financing through the Victam Foundation's 2026 Call for Funding, with final project selections and award decisions scheduled for completion by early June 2026 at Victam International in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Funding cycle overview

The Victam Foundation opened its 2026 Call for Funding submission window on September 12, 2025, accepting project proposals through January 31, 2026. The call targets researchers, organizations, and innovators developing projects that advance the animal feed and flour milling industries. There are no submission fees, and proposals must be submitted via the foundation's online requesting form. Applications must include a detailed project description and an expected budget; the foundation reserves the right to request additional documentation where necessary.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - December 26, 2025 - Yokohama Rubber is sharpening its focus on electric-vehicle OEM business in the automotive & mobility sector, confirming that its GEOLANDAR X-CV highway terrain tire is now factory-equipped on the newly updated Lexus RZ battery-electric SUV for the North American market. The 235/50R20 100V fitment positions Yokohama's SUV-focused GEOLANDAR line squarely in the premium BEV arena, supporting automakers' push for quieter, more efficient and more durable EV drivetrains.

Premium EV SUV fitment strengthens North American footprint

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - December 26, 2025 - Yokohama Rubber is deepening its sustainability strategy and raw materials risk management by supporting an international joint research project in Indonesia aimed at preventing rubber tree leaf fall diseases, a growing threat to global natural rubber production and the tire industry's long-term resilience.

Securing Natural Rubber at the Source in Indonesia

The company is cooperating in the multi-year project "Development of Complex Technologies for Prevention and Control of Rubber Tree Leaf Fall Diseases," which targets one of the most serious plant health challenges facing natural rubber plantations in Indonesia, the world's second-largest producer.
Leaf fall disease has become widespread in key growing regions, leading to significant yield losses and jeopardizing supply for industrial users, including tire manufacturers.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - December 26, 2025 - Yokohama Rubber has expanded its presence in the electric vehicle supply chain as Nissan chooses the AVID GT as original equipment for the new Nissan LEAF in the United States, underlining the growing role of EV-optimized tire technology in improving range, comfort and safety for mainstream electric cars.

EV-Optimized Tires for a Core Mass-Market Electric Vehicle

Yokohama Rubber has begun supplying its AVID GT in size 215/55R18 95H as factory equipment for the latest Nissan LEAF EV launched in the U.S. market in 2025. Positioned as a key electric model for drivers transitioning from internal combustion engines to battery-electric vehicles, the new LEAF benefits from a tire package specifically engineered to support higher curb weights, instant torque and demanding efficiency targets.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - December 11, 2025 - Mercedes-Benz is expanding its sustainability playbook with "Tomorrow XX", a cross-portfolio technology program designed to decarbonize vehicle components, scale circular materials and turn end-of-life cars into a strategic raw-materials source. For OEMs, suppliers and material innovators, the initiative signals how one of the world's leading premium automotive brands plans to industrialize low-carbon, circular design across its global lineup.

Holistic sustainability roadmap across the Mercedes-Benz portfolio

Tomorrow XX extends the holistic, multi-disciplinary approach first showcased in the VISION EQXX and CONCEPT AMG GT XX to the entire product portfolio, across all drivetrains. From the earliest design stages through to end-of-life, every component and material is being scrutinized for CO₂ impact, resource intensity and recyclability.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - December 10, 2025 - TCL SunPower Global is expanding its European residential solar strategy with a new fully integrated home energy storage system designed to work natively with SunPower solar panels and the SunPower app, giving installers and homeowners a single-vendor ecosystem for generation, storage and digital energy management.

From Standalone Batteries to a Connected Home Energy Ecosystem

The new SunPower home energy storage system is positioned as the core of a connected domestic energy ecosystem rather than a standalone battery. By combining PV generation, storage and load control through one brand, one account and one app, TCL SunPower aims to simplify deployment and post-sale support for its installer partners while helping homeowners maximize self-consumption and energy independence.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - December 10, 2025 - SK Chemicals is moving to secure full control over its circular plastics value chain by vertically integrating feedstock sourcing through a new joint venture and Feedstock Innovation Center (FIC) in China, positioning its depolymerization-based chemical recycling business for stronger cost competitiveness and supply stability across Asia-Pacific.

From Depolymerization Pioneer to Fully Integrated Circular Plastics Player

SK Chemicals has signed a joint venture agreement with Shaanxi-based recycler Kelinle to build the Feedstock Innovation Center, a dedicated facility for processing waste plastics into recycled raw materials. Located on an idle 13,200 m² site in Weinan, Shaanxi Province, the FIC will convert end-of-life plastics into PET pellets that feed SK Chemicals' depolymerization process.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - December 8, 2025 - Global business districts are regaining their pull as hubs for capital, talent and innovation, even as they face structural shifts from hybrid work, rising costs and climate pressures, according to the new "Global Business Districts Attractiveness Report 2025" by EY, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the Global Business Districts (GBD) Innovation Club. The study again crowns New York as the world's leading hub while placing Frankfurt's banking district in the global top ten and at number one worldwide for sustainability.

New York Leads, Frankfurt Enters Top Ten as Europe Loses Ground on Scale