Shared Investment Mechanism

Important: The SIM Workplan and Calendar for 2026 is available here.

The Shared Investment Mechanism (SIM) is a joint-funding framework under which GPSNR ordinary members co-fund in sustainability and capacity-building projects across the natural rubber value chain. The SIM currently applies as a membership requirement for manufacturer members, with opportunities for other member categories to participate.

The SIM supports two types of projects: 

 

  • GPSNR Projects – Co-funded initiatives selected through open calls for proposals, then approved by the Shared Investment Panel.

  • In-Kind Contributions – Projects initiated and fully funded by individual manufacturer members, aligned with SIM funding principles.

All SIM projects (GPSNR-funded or in-kind) must:

  • meet the open-market criteria, meaning they should deliver benefits that can be captured by the entire natural rubber supply chain

  • Align with the GPSNR Policy Framework

  • address social, environmental, and/or livelihood improvements in the natural rubber supply chains, and 

  • address at least one, and ideally two, of the following topics:

a) Smallholder capacity building;

b) Environmental and/or pesticide management;

c) Deforestation

d) HCV degradation;

e) Regulatory and/or legal compliance;

f) Agroforestry;

g) Farm mapping/traceability;

h) HCV/HCS mapping of landscape, community or individual smallholders or group of smallholders;

i) Forest preservation, protection and/or restoration;

j) Diversification of revenues for smallholders;

k) Promoting or enhancing Social and Human Rights; or

l) Tackle barriers to achieving sustainable production, and can be beyond production practice; for example, efforts to ensure smallholders are incentivised towards sustainable production.

  • Transparent governance

    • Shared Investment Framework: Create guiding principles defining how funds are (1) pledged, (2) utilized, and (3) managed. 

    • Shared Investment Panel ensures responsibility, accountability, integrity, transparency, compliance, and fairness in decisions relating to the utilization and/or management of funds pledged to the Shared Investment Mechanism. 

Project Management Working Group (PMWG) Evaluators evaluate project proposals and in-kind contributions to ensure they meet the SIM Funding Principles and technical quality requirements. It also monitors project implementation and reports progress and recommendations to the Shared Investment Panel for review and decision-making.

How it works

 

*Fair contribution formula: Members contribute based on a mix of equal share and their natural rubber sourcing volume. For year 2025/2026, the formula used is: USD25,000 + USD0.4/MT x NR volume sourced by Manufacturer.

Governance and Transparency

  • The SIM Framework defines how funds are pledged, used, and managed—ensuring full transparency and accountability.

  • The Shared Investment Panel (SIP) oversees fund allocation and governance, upholding integrity, compliance, and fairness.

  • The Project Management Working Group (PMWG) evaluates project proposals and in-kind contributions for technical soundness and alignment with SIM funding principles. It monitors implementation and reports progress to the SIP.

Shared Investment Panel

Shared Investment Panel for year 2025/2026

Category

Organisation

Voting Rights

Manufacturer

Bridgestone 

Yes

Manufacturer

Continental AG

Yes

Manufacturer

GITI 

Yes

Manufacturer

Goodyear 

Yes

Manufacturer

Michelin 

Yes

End User

Renault 

Yes

PPT

SOCFIN

Yes

Smallholder 

Smallholder (Côte d’Ivoire)

Yes

CSO

PEFC

Yes

Project Management Working Group Evaluators for year 2025/2026

Category

Organisation

Voting Rights

PPT

SIPH

Yes

PPT

Olam

Yes

PPT

Sri Trang

Yes

Manufacturer

Sumitomo Rubber

Yes

Manufacturer

Bridgestone 

Yes

Manufacturer

Michelin

Yes

Smallholder (Thailand)

 

Yes

Smallholder (Indonesia)

 

Yes

Manufacturer (Côte d’Ivoire)

 

Yes

End User

Renault

Yes

End User

BMW

Yes

CSO

WWF Japan

Yes

Affiliate Member (Technical Advisor)

GIZ

No

Operations of SIM

 

2025 Projects Supported Under SIM

In the year 2025, GPSNR members have invested over 3mil USD in 18 projects globally

GPSNR Projects 

 

Project Title

Project Implementer

Project Location

Current Status
(as at 26/01/2026)

Improving health and livelihoods of smallholder rubber farming communities in West Africa

Elucid

Côte d’Ivoire

Agreement signed and project implementation has officially commenced. The kick-off meeting will take place in the first week of February.

Strengthening the Capacity and Resilience of Thailand’s Natural Rubber Smallholder Farmers through GPSNR Capacity Building

Koltiva

Southern Thailand (Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani Province)

Pending completion of Koltiva’s review of the existing project to confirm quality before signing the new agreement

Support livelihood improvement in rubber communities and reforestation solutions in the Indénié-Djuablin and Guémon regions

Olam Agri

Indénié-Djuablin and Guémon regions (Aniassue area, Dibobly area), Cote d’Ivoire

Agreement signed and project implementation has officially commenced. The kick-off meeting will take place in the first week of February.

The abovementioned GPSNR projects are co-funded by:
Aeolus Tyre Co., Ltd., Apollo Tyres, Balkrishna Industries Ltd, Cheng Shin Rubber Ind. Co., Ltd. (Maxxis), Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Hankook Tire Co. Ltd, Kumho Tire Co. Inc., Nexen Tire Corporation, Nokian Tyres, Prometeon Tyre Group SRL, Sumitomo Riko Company Limited, Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd, Toyo Tire Corporation, Renault and The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd.

In Kind Contributions

Project Title

Companies 

Project Location

Sustainability and Value Added in Agricultural Supply Chains in Indonesia

Continental 

Kapuas Hulu, Kalimantan, Indonesia

WWF-Bridgestone Sustainable Natural Rubber project in Indonesia

Bridgestone

Riau Province and Jambi Province, Indonesia

Revitalising Rural Communities and Restoring Ecosystems for Sustainable Natural Rubber in Xishuangbanna

Linglong Tire

Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China

FROM FARM TO TIRE – EMPOWERING NATURAL RUBBER FARMER FOR SUSTAINABILITY BUSINESS

GITI 

Tabalong Regency, South Kalimantan Province, Indonesia

Project CASCADE: Committed Actions for Smallholders Capacity Development

Michelin

Indonesia, Central Sumatra, Jambi Province

MAHAKAM Project

Michelin

Indonesia, East Kalimantan, Kutai Barat

The Rubber Improvement of Value Chain and Embedded Smallholders Resilience (RIVER) Project

Michelin

Sri Lanka, Eastern & Uva Provinces, Ampara & Monaragala districts

Holistic Capacity Building Project for Natural Rubber Smallholders in Northern Thailand

Michelin

North Thailand

Sumatran Elephant Conservation – Keeping the High Value Species for High Biodiversity

GITI

Sumatra Island, Indonesia

Smallholder and Indigenous People/Local Communities Risk Mitigation Project in Indonesia and Ivory Coast

Bridgestone

Indonesia (Sumatra Barat, Jambi, Sumatra Selatan, Kalimantan Barat) and Ivory Coast (Cavally and Lagunes)

Project proposal for regenerative agroforestry & jungle rubber in Ban Bon Khuan community forest

Pirelli

Ban Bon Khuan community forest, Songkhla province, Thailand

Comprehensive support for capacity building and living
environment improvement for small-scale rubber farmers in Surat Thani, Southern Thailand

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.

Surat Thani, Thailand

Sustainable livelihood and ecological education promotion project for natural rubber smallholders in eastern Thailand

Sailun Group Co., Ltd.

Rayong Province, Thailand

Smallholder Good Agricultural Practices Coaching in Thailand

Sumitomo Rubber

Thailand

GPSNR Agroforestry Project

Michelin

Thailand

Strengthening the Capacity and Livelihood improvement of Smallholder Rubber Farmers in North-Eastern India

CEAT

India

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