Special Feature Volunteer Activities by Toyota. Volunteer Activities

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1 Special Feature Special Feature by Toyota With the aim of becoming a good corporate citizen, Toyota has been promoting various social contribution activities on a global scale, spanning all regions in which the company conducts business activities, to help develop local communities and build a truly affluent society. To this end, Toyota employees worldwide are endeavoring to make social contributions in a familiar way, that is, undertaking volunteer activities in accord with the needs of the respective country or region in which they work. We believe these activities will not only be beneficial to society but also help Toyota employees attain personal growth and self-fulfillment through their participation. A giant step for creating a better society starts with small steps made by such individuals. This issue of Neighbors introduces the various volunteer activities carried out by Toyota around the globe. 3

2 Toyota s around the Globe Special Feature As part of Toyota s social contribution activities, employees are undertaking various volunteer activities that are rooted in local communities all around the world. Toyota Danmark A/S Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc. Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. Collecting wastes in collaboration with Danish society to discourage motorists from discarding rubbish from their car windows for nature conservation. Czech Toyota Motor Czech spol.s r.o. Toyota Motor Slovakia s.r.o. Visiting the homes of the elderly living alone to help secure furniture from falling. Picking up trash along the highway as part of a Team Member Volunteer Program activity. Bodine Aluminum, Inc. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. Promoting healthy eating by transforming an overgrown garden into a vegetable garden for the community. Helping local schools revitalize their gardens by weeding, painting fences and sheds, and creating an arboretum. Supporting renovation of the natural environment in the national parks to develop their recreational and educational functions. Partnering with Habitat for Humanity, lending a hand to build homes for the underprivileged. Collecting goods before the holidays for families in need. Supporting clean-up programs around the Yahagi River in Toyota city for the past 10 years. Toyota Motor Sales,, Inc. EUROPE Spain Toyota Espana, S.L.U. China Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. ASIA JAPAN Implementing forest improvement activities by mowing grass and pruning branches in the forests. NORTH AMERICA Helping to preserve the Least Tern Colony by cleaning up their habitat. Spreading environmental awareness through tree planting and forestation events at various locations. AFRICA Reversing desertification through volunteer forestation projects with many staff from participating in the activities. Argentina Toyota Argentina S.A. SOUTH AMERICA South Africa Toyota South Africa Motors (Pty) Ltd. Malaysia UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd Philippines Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation Taiwan Kuozui Motors, Ltd. Preparing presents for underprivileged families in the community on Family Day. Aiming for environmental education and biodiversity preservation through beach and river cleaning activities. Encouraging staff to volunteer and participate in community services through lectures. Painting houses for the underprivileged in the community. Cleaning activities held in autumn by Kuozui staff volunteers in Chu-Wei county. 4 5

3 Spain Toyota Espana, S.L.U. (TES) Improving Environmental Awareness and Contributing to the Conservation of Spain s Natural Heritage The Toyota Green Day was held on November 23, 2008 in cooperation with national NGO Fundación Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente and local authorities to spread environmental values through the community and use the local strength of Toyota retailers as a driving force to achieve global impact. More than 8,500 Toyota dealers staff and customers participated, and over 150,000 seedlings and acorns were planted in 62 different locations to help establish natural habitats. Children digging a hole to plant acorns s Patricia Alvarez-Novoa TES Finding 62 different lands to sow was difficult, so the collaboration with NGOs was crucial. Next year our challenge is to get 90% of retailers on board for 74 different lands. Rosa Maria Dominguez Toyota Starbaix (Dealers) It was a satisfying event. Our customers, friends and children all had a nice time in the mountains and we are looking forward to next year. Malaysia UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT) Programs to Encourage Staff Participation in Community Services Children from the orphanage enjoy shopping with UMWT staff To raise the level of interest and encourage employees to engage in community services, UMWT organized 5 different programs. The first was a tea-talk, where invited speakers gave a talk on volunteering and the organizations they represent. Last year, the speakers were Ms. Yang Berbahagia Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, daughter of the former Prime Minister of Malaysia and Mr. Elisha Satvinder, Pastor and Founder of Harvest Center. Other activities included a visit to an old folk s home, where the staff served lunch and organized games and provided treats for the orphans during the month of Ramadan (the month where Muslims abstain from eating). Volunteer employees took the children shopping and enjoyed dinner together to break their fast. Mohanan K. UMWT Head of Department, External Aftairs Strategic Marketing Group The Staff Volunteer Program is relatively new for our organization. That is why we try to vary the activities so they can suit individual interests. It s good to see that our staff are feeling the joy of giving to the underprivileged and I hope the spirit will continue to grow. 6

4 Special Feature Argentina Toyota Argentina S.A. (TASA) Family Day: Day of Unity and Giving Participants donate gifts Mariana Gutierrez TASA Internal Communications RRHH Division Every year on Family Day, TASA employees and their families are invited to participate in a full day of recreational activities. In 2005, TASA added a collection activity as part of the Family Day s program where TASA employees and their families can bring food and toys as presents for underprivileged people in their community. Not only did TASA want participants to enjoy and feel a sense of unity, but TASA also wanted to teach their children they could do something for other children who were calling out and needing their help. In 2008, more than 4,500 TASA employees and families enjoyed the recreational activities and they brought presents amounting to 6 boxes. TASA employee volunteers helped deliver the presents to 5 underprivileged institutions in the community. It s a satisfying activity because we promote a sense of unity within the company and at the same time, we can teach and see our children helping others in our community. The donations are prepared by our families as presents. China (TMC) / Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (TMCI) to Stop Desertification TMC has been conducting projects to stop desertification of forests in Hebei, China since These projects led to the reforestation activities held by TMCI every year since 2003 in the Fengning Manchu Autonomous county within Chengde City Prefecture, in Xiao ba zi where severe desertification is taking place due to the cutting down of trees and overgrazing. TMC has been collaborating with this event since 2006 and many TMC members from have participated in the reforestation activities. In 2008, over 140 members participated from and China and planted 600 Chinese pine trees. Participants made a special effort to plant each tree carefully s Yuriko Watarai TMC Zou Yashuang TMCI By visiting the sites, I felt the seriousness of the situation and realized the importance of our activity. During lunch with local farmers, they said that they hadn t had to shovel as much sand as before. By planting trees, we are also helping the local community to improve their lives. 7

5 Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc. (TMMI) Responding to Community Needs TMMI established its Team Member Volunteer Program, or TMVP, in 2000 to encourage and recognize team members volunteer work and to establish a volunteer network within the company. The program promotes community philanthropy opportunities and offers incentive programs to its volunteers. Team members with the most logged volunteer hours can request TMMI to make a donation to a non-profit organization of their choice. In 2008, team members logged almost 29,000 hours of volunteer work, an all-time record. Boy scout troops and TMMI team members working together to build a shed *Read more about the other volunteer programs at Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. in Neighbors vol.6 (P26-27). Kelly Dillon TMMI Manager, External Affairs, Internal Communications Corporate Compliance Office TMMI strives to be a leader in corporate citizenship and is proud to support Gibson County, along with the surrounding counties that many of our team members call home. (TMC) Carrying Out Volunteer Campaigns to Prevent Falling Furniture for the Elderly Living Alone Volunteers helping to secure the furniture using monozukuri skills As part of disaster preparations for the possible Tokai earthquake, TMC has been carrying out a volunteer campaign to prevent falling furniture since May Using Toyota city s hazard map as a reference, we visited the homes of all those aged over 65 living alone in the order of presumed greater damage, to help them secure furniture (1,111 volunteers visited 248 homes between 2003 and 2008). This activity, which has been carried out in collaboration with the social welfare office and companies in the area, is the first such campaign in and has attracted much attention from other municipalities across the country. Noboru Yamada TMC Vehicle Planning & Production Engineering Division We participate in this program as a way of expressing gratitude to our parents. It gives us a chance to use our skills and the elderly who we helped were very grateful and some even had tears in their eyes. The activity is very rewarding and gives us a great sense of accomplishment. 8

6 Special Feature (TMC) Clean-up Activities around the Yahagi River Volunteers picking up garbage around the banks of the Yahagi river Itsuro Nakajima TMC Kamigo Plant Manufacturing Engineering Service Division TMC has been collaborating with a local NPO and municipalities for cleaning activities around the Yahagi river that flows through Toyota city since The 10th Toyota Clean-up Project was held on June 6, with over 1,300 volunteers that included organization members, residents, and 900 Toyota employees. The volunteers gathered in 5 different locations in the town center and around the river and began collecting trash together. The volunteers collected 126 bags of trash (approximately 820kg) and everyone helped to separate it. Afterwards, many of the volunteers came to a new awareness about their community and were quoted as saying We need to aim for a cleaner city where a clean-up program will no longer be necessary. I participate in this clean-up program every year with my co-workers. The amount of garbage is decreasing every year and everyone s manners seem to be improving. I d like to work up a healthy sweat and gain a feeling of satisfaction knowing that I helped clean up our city, so I plan on participating again next year. (TMC) Forestry Activities Appreciated by the Community Participants in the forestry volunteer activities Volunteers have gathered to help protect the forests in Asuke-cho (presently Toyota city) since April They mowed grass and pruned branches as part of the forestry activities held by TMC. Furthermore, from July 2008, an agreement was concluded with Toyota city to collaborate with forestry improvement activities at a different city-owned forest (Oohora no Mori) to expand our activities. Some volunteers have commented that the forest looks revitalized and cheerful so we re glad that our activities are bringing in positive feedback. These activities also include a woodwork class using thinned wood where both adults and children enjoy making crafts. Terukazu Makita Toyota Sylvan Guardians Group Leader Using chain-saws and axes are tense moments during the logging operations, but seeing the blue skies and watching the clouds go by with the sunlight beaming down is an exhilarating feeling. By clearing the overgrown forest, we are making the forest healthier and in return, the forest is helping us enrich our lives. 9