Every Step Counts – Toyota Releases its 2020 North American Environmental Report

PLANO, Texas (December 15, 2020) – Toyota endeavors to help address major environmental issues facing the global community, such as climate change, water scarcity, resource depletion and habitat loss. To minimize environmental impact across its business and maximize positive outcomes, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) has focused its 2020 environmental sustainability efforts on five key areas –carbon, water, materials, biodiversity and outreach.

North America highlights include:

Reduced absolute greenhouse gas emissions by nine percent in Fiscal Year 2020 compared to Fiscal Year 2019. This improvement is attributed to energy efficiency improvements, investments in renewable energy and changes in production volumes and model mix.
New electrified product launches including the 2021 Toyota Mirai, RAV4 Prime Plug-In Hybrid, and Sienna Hybrid and Venza Hybrids. In keeping with our aim to offer an electrified version of our entire lineup by around 2025.
Water stewardship efforts at two prioritized locations – Toyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja California, Inc. in Tijuana, Mexico and a west coast regional sales office. Over the next year, Toyota will address water conservation, water quality, local water conditions, and outreach activities with suppliers and local communities.

“We have a responsibility to help achieve a net positive impact on the environment and to promote a culture of improvement inside and outside our organization,” said Kevin Butt, director of environmental sustainability at Toyota Motor North America. “These activities help scale up conservation efforts and drive educational awareness across our operations, partners and our communities.”

Toyota’s North American environmental efforts are anchored to Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050* and demonstrate respect for the planet by managing priority issues speciﬁc to the United States, Canada and Mexico and engaging in outreach by promoting awareness, developing strategic partnerships and sharing know-how with business partners and other stakeholders to create positive change.

Additional highlights from the 2020 North American Environmental Report include the following:

CARBON

Toyota is committed to offering an electrified version of each Toyota and Lexus model by 2025. Globally, Toyota estimates that it will have sold 5.5 million electrified vehicles by 2025.
Toyota and Kenworth are in the process of rolling out hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric heavy-duty vehicles (FCEVs) in Southern California, increasing zero-emission trucking capacity and reducing the environmental impact of drayage operations at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
In the last four years, Toyota has reduced absolute GHG emissions by 14 percent. These emissions will be reduced by as much as 40 percent as we continue entering into virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs).

WATER

Toyota’s North American manufacturing plants recycled or reused 623 million gallons of water last year. That’s equivalent to the annual water use of 5,689 average American families (based on U.S. EPA estimates that the average American family uses 300 gallons of water per day at home).

MATERIALS

Between 2017 and 2019, Toyota’s returnable shipping containers replaced the use of 54.1 million pounds of cardboard boxes and 144.3 million pounds of wooden crates.

BIODIVERSITY

Toyota has 17 sites with pollinator gardens supporting monarch butterflies along their migration path. When factoring in other automakers and suppliers across North America, the number of sites increases to nearly 200, thanks to the Pollinator Project Challenge issued by the Biodiversity Work Group – co-chaired by Toyota Motor North America – of the Suppliers Partnership for the Environment.
Toyota has 13 sites engaged in conservation programs certified by Wildlife Habitat Council®.

OUTREACH

In the U.S., Canada and Mexico, we have supported 70 Toyota and Lexus dealerships in becoming LEED®-certified. Achieving LEED certification illustrates the dealerships’ commitment to sustainable construction and remodeling.
The National Environmental Education Foundation, with sole funding support from Toyota Motor North America, awarded $275,000 to grantees in the U.S. and Puerto Rico to support activities that will restore public lands and find new ways to make them more resilient to extreme weather events.

*Unveiled in September 2015, Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050 consists of six goals that seek to make a game-changing contribution to some of the critical environmental issues facing the world today, including climate change, water scarcity, resource depletion, and species and habitat loss. Challenge 2050 was developed by Toyota Motor Corporation and applies to all Toyota affiliates globally.

To view the full report, visit Toyota.com/USA/Environment

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.

Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Tania Saldana
859-815-9968
[email protected]