Why is the development of new renewable or recycled materials such a big challenge? > Eric Philippe Vinesse: The challenge is enormous, because it involves abating the impact of human activity on global warming while protecting the planet’s resources and biodiversity. Industry-wide, this means replacing around two-thirds of the materials used today, which are derived from petrochemicals, with renewable or recycled materials. That requires structuring all the value chains, from collecting renewable primary materials and recyclable end-of-life tires or other products to recovering any materials from them that could be reused in new tires. What role is Michelin playing in this global ecosystem? > EPV: Michelin is actively supporting the emergence and structuring of these new value chains. This means working together with other tiremakers and with all the emerging value chain stakeholders. So we’re supporting materials processing companies, as well as start‑ups developing innovative recycling technologies, by helping them to perfect their technologies and offering market opportunities so that they can move forward to mass production on their own. We're also advocating for legislation that facilitates the production, trade and widespread use of these new materials, which will help drive further progress. Where is the Group in its commitment to making its products entirely from renewable and recycled materials by 2050? > EPV: We're on the right track, with a ratio of 28% as of end-2023, and we’re stepping up the pace of innovation. We’re co-innovating with shared laboratories and research partnerships with leaders in academia and with circular economy consortia, such as BlackCycle and WhiteCycle. We are also forging targeted partnerships and collaborations, such as the ones with Carbios to develop innovative recycling technologies and with Enviro to recycle end-of-life tires. In addition, we’re supporting the development of breakthrough production processes, such as the first industrial-scale pilot plant capable of producing bio-based butadiene. Éric Philippe Vinesse Executive Vice President, Research & Development Michelin is playing a key role in structuring new value chains.” Renewable and recycled materials: a huge challenge for our industry 2023 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT_MICHELIN _37
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