Social Contribution

Toyota actions towards eco-friendly organization do not stop in their internal operations. Their contributions toward the public can be seen worldwide.

Japan: Forest of Toyota
Toyota U.S. Manufacturing Initiatives

Moreover, Toyota U.S. has initiated the 5r's; refine, reduce, reuse, recycle and recover energy as the steps for green manufacturing. The results of their initiatives towards eco-friendly plant are as below.

Toyota has reduced water usage per vehicle by 20% since 2003 and continues efforts to improve water management. Through the aggressive use of waste management and recycling, North American plants have reduced their landfill waste by 96% or more since 1999. Toyota is continuing to evaluate materials from renewable resources such as a plastic made from corn and natural fabrics for vehicle interiors. For example, Toyota has introduced soy oil-based polyurethane foam for use in passenger seats in the Corolla and the Lexus RX. Currently, the End of Life Vehicle (ELV) recycling/recovery rate is over 90% with a goal of 95% ELV recycling/recovery by 2015. The use of metal returnable shipping containers in parts distribution network has saved over 30 million pounds of wood, 10 million pounds of cardboard, and $20 million in packaging costs, since the program launched in 2003. Toyota has extensive programs to reduce the use of substances of concern (SOCs) in vehicles, minimize undesirable emissions from manufacturing operations, and further improve vehicle emission standards.

In inducing environmental awareness towards the employees, Toyota has conducted cleanup activities around the manufacturing plant to provide a healthy environment to local residents. Moreover, Toyota will reward their employees which have been participating in providing ideas to make Toyota a green manufacturer. Such actions will motivate the employees to create a better working environment. Such actions can boost public awareness towards the action that can be done in order to help increase environment quality. By performing for the better of the local resident, the public will be privilege and will be glad that Toyota is located in their location.

Certainly, the effort of eliminates waste does improve the environmental quality. Similarly, this effort reduces cost for Toyota. By recycling usable components of a vehicle, the manufacturers of the components will have lower sales. Alternative manufacturers will have lower competitive advantages and reduce their employees in their organization. This will leave working forces to be jobless. Along with the recession, working forces will ultimately be the first to suffer.

However, improvement can be done by cumulating suggestion on improvement from the public. As the matter of fact, public resident will have a wholesome idea on environmental issues compared to the organization. Along with problematic health issues, public will be more aware to the threats that may endanger their lives as well as their future generation. As such their suggestions will have more rationality towards the improvement of