Meet America's Best Brands For Social Impact 2026

"Swipe a credit card at a Bridgestone retail shop, and you may be asked to donate to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, for whom the company has raised more than $30 million and purchased 96 new vans. Using the My Firestone or Tires Plus app, the company plants a tree in the Mississippi River Delta as part of its partnership with the Nature Conservancy, joining 85,000 others it's already placed."

"These efforts spring from the company's earliest days a century ago—annual camping trips by 'the Vagabonds,' a friends group that included Harvey Firestone, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and naturalist John Burroughs. They inspired the company's commitment to travel and recreation, which continues because it's good business, executives say."

"Beginning in 2024, marketing campaigns that informed customers about Bridgestone's efforts—along with customers' more positive feelings about the reliability and durability of its tires—helped significantly boost its list ranking. The company's 10-year celebration of its Nature Conservancy partnership alone drew 550 million views on social and traditional media."

Bridgestone achieved No. 20 ranking on the third-annual Forbes Best Brands for Social Impact list, rising dramatically from No. 91 the previous year. The company's social impact efforts include raising over $30 million for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, planting 85,000 trees through its Nature Conservancy partnership, and supporting travel and recreation initiatives. These commitments trace back to the company's founding era, inspired by the "Vagabonds" camping trips involving Harvey Firestone, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison. The ranking was determined by surveying over 205,000 customers who provided 4.5 million ratings across 5,500 brands. Bridgestone's significant rise was driven by 2024 marketing campaigns highlighting its social efforts and customers' positive perceptions of tire reliability and durability.

Read at Forbes