Activity report
Energy efficiency
Educating
the future partners
who will build
a sustainable
society together
with us
Background of the challenge
Involving as many
people as possible
in environmental activities
is fundamental
The establishment in FY 2004 of the Toyota Boshoku Earth Charter marked in earnest the beginning of our environmental activities, energy-saving measures included. In the course of these activities we have become aware that, in order to create a sustainable global environment, it is important to "find partners" who share the same goal, rather than acting on your own. In our filed, the automotive industry, a large number of people are involved throughout the value chain, and it is important that all these stakeholders share the same goal and work together to promote the necessary initiatives. The same goes for environmental activities. In order to promote these initiatives, it is essential that as many people as possible develop a common awareness of the issues and an understanding of the purpose of these activities. For this reason, we’ve taken the initiative in raising environmental awareness among residents in our local area.
Our idea
Developing awareness
in the children
who will build
our tomorrow
Firmly believing that, in order to raise environmental awareness among local residents, it’s necessary to create opportunities to communicate the environmental problems facing us in the spirit of “learning while having fun”, in CY 2011 we introduced environmental education in some of our factory tours. In CY 2013, as a more proactive initiative, we began providing environmental outreach classes to two elementary schools near our Sanage Plant. The reason we have undertaken activities for children in the growing stage is because we believe that our thought and feelings at this sensitive age will influence our lives and actions in later years. Therefore, if we can help children become aware or interested in this topic, it will no doubt contribute to the creation of a sustainable global environment someday.
Activity Report
Activities
designed to
highlight
the concrete
reality of
abstract SDGs
As part of the above activities, we collaborate with Toyota City's Fujioka Minami Junior High School at local events to provide the next generation with opportunities to learn the importance of incorporating environmental awareness in their actions. More specifically, we plan and manage recycling activities with volunteer junior high school students that make effective use of the upholstery of seat covers that we discard and wood which is a by-product of forest thinning. Instead of throwing them away we provide them to students and local residents to spur their interest in recycling. Additionally, we invite junior high school students to our skill-development center to familiarize them with solar power generation, wastewater filtration systems, reforestation activities, biogas power generation, kenaf-based materials and more, so that they can understand the level of resourcefulness at manufacturing sites. In surveys conducted after these events, some students wrote that, "while I was already familiar with the SDGs in abstract terms, now I have a more concrete understanding of them," which makes us hope that our activities will have a positive impact on the students' future lives and actions.
We purchased Green Power Certificates which represent the environmental value of the electricity generated by the solar panels installed at Fujioka Minami Junior High School.
Challenger
Carbon Neutral
Environmental
Center & Global
Manufacturing
Skills Development
Division,
Environmental
Education Team
