Toyota Releases 2013 Environmental Report, Zero Emissions Goal

Toyota Motors has released its North American Environmental Report 2013 detailing its sustainability progress and spotlighting the achievements of several of its North American facilities. Through its dedication to kaizen (change for the better), standardization, and yokoten (sharing lessons learned), Toyota has committed to investing in ongoing improvements in sustainability.

The report references Toyota’s Guiding Principles and Earth Charter documents, which underscore the company’s environmental responsibilities. One of the Earth Charter’s principles as well some of its action guidelines involve setting a “challenge to achieve zero emissions throughout all areas of business activities.” This means zero emissions at all stages, including production, utilization, and disposal in addition to pursuing production activities that do not generate waste. The company also aims to “actively disclose information and promote environmental awareness.”

To get the best results Toyota has decentralized certain functions so that each region can make improvements according to the local culture and geography. In North America, operations focus on improvements in carbon footprint, water usage and discharge, materials management and reduction, and biodiversity.

In addition to advancing sustainable practices at its own facilities, Toyota encourages its business partners, such as its suppliers and dealerships, to improve their own environmental practices. In the case of Tier 1 and other suppliers, one way this is accomplished is through energy “treasure hunts,” which are essentially energy auditing processes whereby suppliers allow other suppliers to enter their facilities. Toyota reports having helped 41 suppliers to find annual energy savings of more than 43.5 kWh—the equivalent of 15,200 metric tons of CO2 per year. It also notes that more than 600 of its Tier 1 suppliers to its North American plants are ISO 14001-certified.

Many of its dealerships also are LEED®-certified and therefore are using less water and energy, generating less waste, and recycling more materials.

Toyota exceeded many of its fiscal year 2013 targets for North America. It aimed to reduce VOCs from body paint processes at its manufacturing plants to 13.8 g/m2, but it reduced them to 13.0 g/m2. It reduced energy consumption to 6.73 MMBtus per vehicle (the goal was 7.12 MMBtus). It reduced greenhouse gas emissions at manufacturing plants to 0.61 metric tons of CO2 per vehicle produced (the goal was 0.78 metric tons). Finally, it reduced manufacturing plant water usage to 0.87 kilogallons per vehicle (the goal was 0.91 kilogallons).

It met its goals regarding compliance with zero complaints and violations and is on track toward its goal of achieving zero waste to landfill at its manufacturing plants. Ten of 14 plants have achieved it, but Toyota is working with the other four locations to find alternatives for waste other than landfills.

A target not met was the reduction of nonsaleable waste from manufacturing plants to 17.50 kg/vehicle and instead are at 18.41 kg/vehicle. The company continues to look for solutions to meet this goal.

In addition to its fiscal year achievements, Toyota’s parts and accessories returnable container program has saved more than 308 million lbs. of wood and 185 million lbs. of cardboard since 2002; four assembly plants are saving 61 million gal. of water per year; a truck assembly plant in San Antonio, Texas, has reduced landfill waste by 71 percent by sending 65 tons per month of trash to a facility that turns trash into fuel; several facilities have received the Energy Star plant labels and Energy Star building labels; and all of the company’s North American manufacturing plants, logistics sites, and a few office complexes are ISO 14001-certified.

To read how Toyota managed to measure, and metered to manage, read  “How power metering empowers Toyota” here.