A Brief History of Toyota Community Initiatives

As one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturers, the Toyota brand has continued to be synonymous with reliability, dependability, and innovation. And this doesn’t just apply to their cars, but to their community initiatives as well. For decades, Toyota has made it their mission to create a global impact in more than just affordable, quality vehicles. The company’s long history of community outreach within everything from the environment and traffic safety to education and exclusivity continues to ensure sustainable social vitality around the world. In this article, we’ll outline a few of Toyota’s core community initiatives, where they started, and where they’re headed.

A History of Good Deeds

Toyota’s history of social contribution activities dates back to the 1960s through the 1970s, when Toyota focused on plans to improve the transportation environment, conducting research on transportation policies, making proposals, and carrying out activities designed to educate people about traffic safety. By 1989 Toyota set up its Corporate Citizenship Activity Committee chaired by the company president. The automaker began taking initiatives in Japan to promote science and technology, popularize art and culture, and take action in the environmental field. By January 2006, Toyota consolidated various functions that had been scattered throughout the company and established its Corporate Citizenship Division, globally linking Toyota's social contribution activities to carry them out strategically and efficiently.

Good Deeds for the People

Toyota has been and always will be a company for the people, no matter your creed or background. In particular, Toyota has been continuously implementing various measures related to traffic safety education since the 1960s. The company is taking a comprehensive approach that addresses three key elements (people, cars, and traffic environment) toward achieving its ultimate vision of “zero traffic fatalities and injuries” and using innovative technologies to make it happen.

Toyota is also committed to supporting inclusion through physical accessibility by investing in organizations with forward-thinking solutions that remove barriers to mobility. They are a key supporter of the Special Olympics and are constantly engineering vehicles, like the Toyota Sienna, with customizable solutions for people with disabilities.

Good Deeds for the Planet

To ensure the sustainable development of society across the globe, Toyota is actively promoting a wide range of initiatives, including environmental education, environmental activity grants, and afforestation. You already know them as a pioneer in hybrid and EV technology, but every day they are getting closer to their goal of creating an emission-free lineup of vehicles.

Toyota is also capitalizing on its expertise in monozukuri (conscientious manufacturing) and people development to globally support the development of next-generation human resources.

If you’re looking to make a vehicle purchase you can feel good about, Toyota has more than enough community initiatives in place that go far beyond optics and cosmetic social responsibility. For decades the Toyota name has been one you can trust. Feel free to browse our inventory of new and certified used Toyota vehicles here at Whitehorse Toyota. Our team is full of friendly and helpful folks who take pride in aligning themselves with the socially conscious Toyota brand!