The Story of Sakichi Toyoda
Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Industries Corporation, possessed a strong ambition to contribute to society from his days as a youth. He had devoted his 63-year-long life to invention.
We hold various events for people with disabilities in collaboration with local communities and other Toyota Group.
When holding an event, we value interaction between people with disabilities and the community and employee volunteers, as well as contact with nature.
In order to promote independence among those who take advantage of welfare facilities for the disabled, Toyota Industries allows these facilities to sell their bread and cookie products in its plant cafeteria and offers bazaar goods collected by donations from employees and affiliated companies.
These events are a valuable opportunity for welfare facilities to enjoy interacting with customers who visit for shopping.
We hope that our ongoing participation in this activity helps spark a stronger awareness of the importance of social contribution in more of our employees and serves as a springboard for wider community participation.
One of the ongoing volunteer activities is a group of young leaders in the manufacturing sector visiting a welfare facility and doing the work that the facility needs help with.
For example, cleaning and repairing rooms, pruning trees, and weeding.
Each year, facility residents respond warmly to the volunteers, expressing their deep gratitude for the assistance with daily tasks that they can never seem to get around to doing.
Toyota Industries wholeheartedly supports the mission of the Special Olympics and offers its athletic fields, gymnasiums, and employee volunteers to the organization to help support athlete training. Our independent Assistant Team Leaders Association has also begun helping out with organizing and running Special Olympic competitions.
On the other hand, since 2018, we have been cooperating with the Special Olympics support activities promoted by the recycling business of Renet Japan Group Co., Ltd. and requesting employees to provide PCs that are no longer needed.
Note: The Special Olympics is an international sports organization that supports people with intellectual disabilities by giving them the opportunity to participate in a variety of athletic training and competition events. The organization works to promote their independence and social participation and enrich their quality of life through interaction with many people.
Since 2000, we have been working in collaboration with seven Toyota Group companies located in Kariya City to support the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra's staging of a public welfare benefit concert called Box Seats Full of Dreams. Residents from welfare facilities and groups throughout the communities where these companies are located are invited to join the event, which gives members of the disabled community an opportunity to relax and enjoy classical music in a casual setting. Some of the seats are cleared from the hall in order to allow those in wheelchairs a great view of the performances, which include familiar selections and easy-to-understand explanations of the instruments and musical pieces by the conductor. Staff members from the participating companies also attend on the day of the event and work with the Nagoya Philharmonic administration in each area to help run the concerts.