Sustainability
Good today for a better tomorrow
The number of cars on our roads is set to double by 2020, bringing with it a whole set of environmental challenges for us all. At Toyota, we've made a firm commitment to sustainable motoring; striving to lead the industry with ideas and technologies that reduce our strain on the planet. Each day we come to work, we're looking ahead towards the future. A future where vehicles produce zero exhaust emissions and have no negative impact on the environment.
Our plants, cars, business and people are ensuring that the highest environmental standards are exactly that at Toyota - standard. Across our range and across the board. Long ago, we recognised that motoring's impact isn't limited to the ground underneath your tyres or the air around your car, so we now consider every single thing we do, including helping to build sustainable communities around the world. Since 1999, we've supported National Tree Day in Australia, and inspired everyday Australians to plant over a million trees across the country.
That's an extraordinary environmental legacy and an important contribution that we're proud of. But we're prouder still of the recognition that's come from others. In Australia, our cars have been awarded more five star ratings than any other manufacturer in the Australian Government's Green Vehicle Guide, plus our world leading Hybrid Synergy Driveฎ technology has been publicly endorsed by sustainability champion, Planet Ark.
But, all this is just the beginning. A small first step as we strive to create a better tomorrow. In the meantime, we're firmly focused on the job at hand today - helping everyone, everywhere breathe a little bit easier.
In 2007, Toyota became the first automotive manufacturer in Australia to issue a sustainability report.
In 2009/10, the company's capital and operating expenditure on environmental protection at its manufacturing plant in Altona totalled $2.10 million.
Toyota is committed not only to sustainable motoring, but sustainable manufacturing and living as well. Take Toyota's Tsutsumi manufacturing plant in Japan where sustainability is the norm. The plant has specially engineered grass growing on the roof, uses masses of solar panels to generate power and is enveloped in a special photo-catalytic paint to help clear the air.
Toyota employees are encouraged to plant trees and make positive contributions to their local communities.
Whilst some manufactures were focusing on faster cars for today, Toyota was working on the car of the future. For over 30 years we've been working on and perfecting hybrid technology.
In 2009, Toyota Australia also achieved the 2010 emissions target set by the industry, with corporate average emissions for all Toyota and Lexus light vehicles totalling 219.7 CO2/km in the year ending 31 December 2009, against the target of 222g by 2010.
Toyota Australia has a product stewardship scheme to ensure that all hybrid batteries are recycled. The battery's plastic, metal and copper wires are recycled locally while circuit boards and battery elements are exported for recycling.
Fresh water is one of our most precious resources and reducing consumption remains a priority for Toyota. In 2009/10, total water consumption at Altona was 364,716 kilolitres which represents a 28 per cent decrease from last year's consumption (463,893 kl).
In 2009/10, total waste was 22,170 tonnes, of which 95 per cent was recycled. This represents a 35 per cent reduction compared to the previous year.
In 2010 we launched the Toyota Environmental Dealership (TED) program to Toyota Dealerships nationwide. The new program aims to integrate sustainable business practices into daily operations and to encourage dealers to continuously improve their environmental performance.
