From the classic automotive company to the broader concept of mobility company, Toyota pursues the goal of "producing happiness for all". The Japanese manufacturer is implementing a profound process of corporate transformation: a new mission that entails a shift from customers to people, and ultimately to society as a whole; and requires the company to broaden its business purpose, from the simple production of motor vehicles to the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Green Deal. Where the focus was once on "putting customers first", president Akio Toyoda has explained, it now moves to "putting people first", with the aim of placing the company at the service of society as a whole and "producing happiness for all".

Toyota: the three pillars of action in Europe for sustainability

A mission fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the vital core of the 2030 Agenda; for their capacity to hold together the economic, social and ecological dimensions, the UN targets have inspired Toyota's long-term global sustainability strategy. In Europe, this translates into concrete initiatives in the social and employment sphere, aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion.

The initiatives of Toyota Motor Europe – which support the company's sustainable development strategy and the sustainability policies outlined by the European Union's Green Deal – move along three main axes. The first is the promotion of diversity and inclusion, with a three-year plan that will make it possible to achieve at least 25 per cent female representation in managerial roles by 2025. The second aims to ensure equity in employment, offering all employees on the continent opportunities for professional development, training and reskilling. Through initiatives such as the Toyota Startup Awards, sustainable innovation will also be supported: by putting people first and committing to contributing to society as a whole, the mobility company wants to demonstrate how business and sustainability are mutually compatible objectives.

The philosophy shifts from automotive company to mobility company

Sustainability has always been an integral part of the Toyota Group's philosophy and values, and for its future ambitions the company can count on a solid foundation built through the experience and results achieved so far. This is reflected in the development of technologies capable of reducing dependence on fossil fuels and the push towards electrified vehicles, a viable solution in combating global warming; and also in the use of new technologies to reduce the number of road accident fatalities, or in collaboration with ambitious and visionary partners for the realisation of Woven City, a model for a connected and sustainable society of the future. But now the mission is becoming even more ambitious, as Yumi Otsuka, Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation, explained at the Kenshiki Forum in December: "As part of the company's transformation journey from automotive company to mobility company, to fulfil our mission of producing happiness for all we must go beyond the mere production of motor vehicles and pursue the Sustainable Development Goals and the Green Deal, committing ourselves to building a better future."

Miguel Fonseca, Senior Vice President of Toyota Motor Europe, explained how the business is also transforming on our continent: "We are not only developing innovative technologies, such as fuel cells and next-generation batteries, we are also engaging in initiatives to contribute to the well-being of society. Each of these actions represents a step forward towards fulfilling our mission of producing happiness for humanity – an unusual mission for a global company, and one of which we are very proud." These are, Fonseca emphasised, "concrete examples of how we are transforming the way we operate. Each one represents tangible proof of how Toyota is adapting and taking a leading role in an ever-changing context."