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Toyota New Zealand has published its fourth biennial sustainability report, which for the first time has been externally assured by independent experts KPMG to a B+ level under the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3.1 framework.
The 2011 report, which covers the two years to 31 March 2011, is called Resilience and describes the company's determined response to some of the most challenging times in its history: a global recession, brand-threatening quality issues overseas, and natural disasters which impacted on the Toyota family, customers and much wider.
Toyota New Zealand CEO Alistair Davis says external assurance marks a substantial evolution in the company's industry leading corporate responsibility commitment.
"We've seen consumers placing more and more importance on sustainability in their purchasing decisions, and an increasing scrutiny on the claims companies make in that regard.
"The recent Interbrand global survey named Toyota the world's greenest brand after comparing what companies say they do, with a comprehensive audit of what they actually do. Having Toyota New Zealand's report independently assessed was a logical step to give added confidence in our sustainability claims.
"The past two years have challenged Toyota strongly, creating threats to our ongoing sustainability and brand which we had to address head on. Readers of the report can see that we've put a real focus on addressing those issues, and hopefully agree that Resilience is a well-chosen title," says Alistair Davis.
Dave Rhodes-Robinson, Toyota New Zealand's Marketing and Environment Manager, says the assurance process helped significantly refine the company's approach and reporting around sustainability.
"Having the scrutiny of an external provider certainly challenged us as an organisation, but the process was invaluable in ensuring our report explained our approach to sustainability well, and focused on the issues of most significance to our stakeholders.
"So it includes full analysis of the recalls, the supply issues caused by the earthquakes, and the viability of our dealer network in the face of New Zealand's recent economic uncertainty."
"From an environmental standpoint, highlights include the trial of the revolutionary Plug-In Prius, the roll-out of the Enviro-Mark certification programme across our national dealer network, and the ongoing expansion of our emissions reporting and management plans."
To view Toyota New Zealand's 2011 Sustainability Report online, and read the accompanying website content, please go tohttp://www.toyota.co.nz/AboutUs/Sustainability/.