Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber

Hi everyone! This is Wan Ling Lim, and I’m back to share reflections (Part 2/2) from my very first field visit to Chiang Rai, Thailand. Over the past few months, I’ve learned about the various capacity-building and sustainability projects that GPSNR oversees. However, when we work behind a desk, it can be easy to reduce the programmes and the people down to statistics and spreadsheets. This past week, being on the ground in Chiang Rai brought to life the hard work, commitment, and human stories behind every project milestone. I met smallholders with diverse backgrounds, including some with engineering degrees to some who teach kindergarten on the side. All of them carry rich experiences and perspectives. One smallholder, driven by a desire for fairer prices, even started his own dealing station to benefit his community. It’s a powerful example of the entrepreneurial spirit that exists at the very start of our supply chain. These conversations, where smallholders shared stories about their families and their aspirations, reminded me of a crucial truth: Sustainability work is, at its core, people work. It is easy to reduce everything to a statistic, but interacting with the project team and the smallholders who are directly impacted truly shows the changes being made from the ground up. It reminds me of the many dedicated people who put in hard work and effort to make these projects possible. I’m grateful for the opportunity to witness this firsthand, and I’m even more motivated to support the work that uplifts the communities at the heart of the natural rubber supply chain. Here’s to many more meaningful field visits ahead! #GPSNR #FieldVisit #HumanStories #Smallholders #SustainabilityIsPeopleWork #SupplyChain

Hi everyone! This is Wan Ling Lim and I'm back to share reflections from my very first field visit. Observing the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) coaching project in Chiang Rai offered a powerful lesson in implementation: The biggest hurdle to adopting sustainable practices is often not technical, but behavioural. Many of the smallholders have been farming rubber for decades. When someone has done something for a long time, convincing them to change requires more than just data. It requires tact, trust, and expertise. I observed that successful results often followed when there was a mutual bond cultivated between the smallholders and the field agents. When field agents approached each smallholder with respect for their existing knowledge, patiently demonstrated the long-term benefits of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and consistently built trusting relationships, smallholders became increasingly open to change and even proactively sought the advice of field agents. For me, this experience affirmed that effective capacity building is a deeply human endeavour. We are not just transferring knowledge; we are building relationships on the ground that enable long-term, sustainable behavioural change. Stay tuned for more reflections from my field visit! #GPSNR #CapacityBuilding #BehavioralChange #GAPCoaching #Smallholders #SustainabilityImplementation

🌱 Hi everyone! I'm Wan Ling Lim, and I’m excited to share that I have headed down to Chiang Rai, Thailand, this week for my first field visit as GPSNR’s Impacts & Assurance Associate. I’m on the ground observing and supervising a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) coaching project, which supports smallholders in adopting more sustainable and resilient farming methods. This trip is a chance for me to join farmer coaching sessions, meet with smallholders and our local partner, and visit several rubber farms to understand how this project has helped farmers improve productivity, soil health, and long-term sustainability. Seeing these practices in action is a valuable opportunity for me to better understand the realities behind implementation, and the projects we carry out here at GPSNR. More updates to come from Chiang Rai! 🌿📍

#StillTapping (3/3): We've shared the crisis facing Indonesia's rubber industry and the deep-rooted reasons why farmers like Tuminah, Ari, and Yensi are choosing to remain. The commitment of these farmers is a call to action for the entire supply chain, and thankfully, the industry is answering. Players across the industry, from tire companies to car companies, are stepping up to ensure the future of sustainable rubber production through projects such as the GPSNR Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Coaching Project. Together, we are providing the long-term solutions needed to empower these farmers such as: Training and Support - Funding for essential training to improve practices and tackle critical issues like disease outbreaks. Resilience Building - Investment in establishing agroforestry demonstration plots to create new income streams and greater resilience for farming families. These efforts are not quick fixes, but they are sustainable investments that will help these farmers become the ones who pass knowledge on and keep natural rubber alive. 🔍 Learn more about our work and see active projects here → https://lnkd.in/g7gu--gt #StillTapping #GPSNR #GAPCoaching #Agroforestry #CapacityBuilding 

#StillTapping (2/3): Why Some Smallholders Stay with Rubber: A Choice of Stability, Flexibility, and Legacy Ari, 35, inherited his small rubber plot from his parents. While others have turned to palm, he chooses to stay with rubber — a crop he can manage, replant when needed, and eventually pass on to his children. Rubber is also a safety net. "As long as you tap, you get something," he says. It may not bring big profits, but for Ari and his family, it brings a sense of stability — the freedom to plan ahead, adapt, and continue working the land on their own terms. For Yensi, 24, a young mother, tapping in the early morning allows her to be home with her child by the time the sun is high. It's a way of life that "still fits"—a family tradition she can continue while raising the next generation. This highlights a crucial point: the value of natural rubber extends far beyond the commodity price. It's about legacy, flexibility, and a manageable livelihood. Read the full story of Ari and Yensi, and learn why they choose to stay: https://lnkd.in/gNSP9Y9U #StillTapping #GPSNR #SustainableNaturalRubber #Smallholders #Indonesia #SupplyChain #Resilience

Indonesia's Rubber Industry is Shrinking, But the Heart of the Supply Chain is #StillTapping (Part 1/3) Indonesia, once a top global rubber producer, is projected to see a nearly 10% production drop by 2025 due to ageing trees, disease, and persistently low prices. Many farmers are switching to more profitable crops such as palm oil. But amidst this uncertainty, there are quiet stories of resilience. Farmers like Tuminah, who inherited her plot from her parents, continue to tap daily. For her, rubber is "easier to manage" than other crops, and her farm is a space of coexistence with wildlife. Their commitment is a powerful reminder: the future of sustainable natural rubber depends on the people who show up every day. Read the full story of Tuminah and learn why she chooses to stay: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gNSP9Y9U In our next post (2/3), we continue to explore the non-financial reasons why smallholders choose to stay with rubber. Stay tuned! #StillTapping #GPSNR #SustainableNaturalRubber #Smallholders #Indonesia #SupplyChain #Resilience

Indonesia is one of the world’s most important natural rubber–producing countries, and the majority of its production comes from smallholder farmers. Yet, many face challenges such as ageing trees, declining productivity, and limited access to technical support. To help address these barriers, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has supported the Indonesia GAP Coaching Project under the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) since 2022. Now in its third phase (September 2024 to September 2025), General Motors (GM) has joined as a co-funder, marking a growing movement toward shared responsibility across the supply chain. 💪 The impact so far: 🌾 More than 2,700 farmers trained in improved agronomic practices 👩🌾 1,182 women and 791 youth empowered through coaching 📱 549 farmers now learning through the RubberWiki digital platform 🌱 Demonstration plots showing how agroforestry provides income during replanting The collaboration between Goodyear and GM demonstrates a strong sense of shared responsibility — working together to support smallholder farmers and contribute to more sustainable natural rubber production. 🔗 Read the full story on our website - https://lnkd.in/g7zzN3t6 #Sustainability #NaturalRubber #SharedResponsibility #SmallholderEmpowerment #Agroforestry #ResponsibleSourcing #GPSNR #Goodyear #GM

All the details of our Shared Investment Mechanism (SIM) are now available on a dedicated webpage! The mechanism is a joint-funding framework designed to support sustainability and capacity-building projects across the natural rubber value chain. The SIM is a testament to our members' commitment to collective action. All SIM projects are also required to meet open-market criteria, ensuring that the benefits of these initiatives extend across the entire natural rubber supply chain. In 2025 alone, GPSNR members have invested over $3 million USD in 18 projects globally. Overseen by the Shared Investment Panel (SIP) and the Project Management Working Group (PMWG), the system ensures accountability and fairness in fund allocation. This is how GPSNR members turn commitments into on-the-ground impact. Learn more about the SIM, its governance, and the projects it supports: https://lnkd.in/gjeSBqKC

For the first 4 years of our existence, GPSNR was hosted under WBCSD's Tire Industry Project (TIP), bringing together tire makers, rubber producers, and NGOs to make natural rubber more sustainable. Today, we’re proud to spotlight a new free resource from our member, WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development — continuing the journey we started together. 🌿 📘 Their latest publication, “Guidebook for Landscape Investments: Private sector-led solutions for land restoration and resilient agrifood systems,” showcases 12 real-world case studies where businesses are driving regenerative land use through collaboration, innovative finance, and farmer-centred solutions. The guide underscores that meaningful progress in land restoration happens when farmers, companies, investors, and civil society work together toward shared goals. It also highlights that while measurement and reporting remain key challenges, transparent monitoring is essential for building trust and scaling impact. Finally, innovative finance models — from blended capital to outcome-based funding — are emerging as powerful enablers for large-scale, long-term landscape regeneration. 📥 Access the guidebook here: https://lnkd.in/eftAXVNi #MemberSpotlight #GPSNR #Regeneration #WBCSD #LandRestoration #CollectiveAction #SustainableFinance

We’re excited to spotlight real voices from the ground — hear directly from two farmers in Southern Thailand as they share how rubber agroforestry has transformed their farms, families, and futures. 🌿 Supported by Michelin and Renault, and implemented by the Rubber Agroforestry for Sustainability (RAFS) Foundation, this project is helping farmers in Southern Thailand transform their rubber farms into thriving ecosystems of biodiversity, food security, and shared learning. #Agroforestry #Sustainability #Rubber #Thailand #FarmerVoices #GPSNR