As a worldwide partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Toyota Motor Corporation is supporting para sports and contributing towards the creation of a more inclusive society at the grassroots level. It is doing so through cooperation with the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee), as well as with the broader business community in Japan.
During the Paralympic Games, Toyota will encourage further interest in para sports around the world while providing Mobility for All solutions.
Talking about Toyota’s focus on the Paralympics, Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motor Corporation, said: “Through my meetings with Sir Philip Craven, former president of the International Paralympic Committee, and with many athletes, I have become even more committed to the idea that Toyota should provide mobility solutions for all people.
“With this in mind, we are taking steps as a mobility company by making better cars and by addressing various mobility needs above and beyond cars. I’m convinced this journey will help us appreciate differences as individuals and lead us to free ourselves from the sort of fixed thinking that can hold back large organisations and free us from prejudice and discrimination in society at large.”
Member of Toyota Motor Corporation board of directors Sir Philip notes: “The aim of Mobility for All is not just to [focus on ]those with impairments, but it has broader implications for all people and, therefore, has special meaning.”
Visit the local Mobility for All website here to learn more about the campaign.
Toyota is supporting the Paralympic movement through internal activities involving its employees and by partnering with Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and the All Japan Business Committee.
Grassroot activities
In 2017, Toyota began grassroots activities around the world related to expanding interest in para sports. It expanded its interest in para sports through partnerships with 180 local National Paralympic Committees (NPCs), developing equipment for para athletes and supporting NPCs with the Agitos Foundation.
It also became a sponsor of the Japan Boccia Association and Japan Wheelchair Basketball Association and aims to raise awareness of para sports by hosting various events. Toyota also sponsored other major international para competitions, such as the 2018 World Para Swimming European Championships held in Dublin, Ireland from August 13 to 19.
The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), as a separate entity, is also running its global Mobility Unlimited Challenge campaign aimed at developing innovative assistive tools to help provide freedom of movement to those with impairments.
The challenge was launched in November 2017 and the winning idea will receive up to US$4 million (R56 million) in development support. The winner will be announced at Toyko 2020.
Mobility solutions
Toyota is engaged in activities with various stakeholders and local communities in Japan to support the mobility of people with limited transportation options. It is running a regional transportation assistance project in Yokota City with WelCabs, which run at no cost to residents. Toyota is also promoting barrier-free transport with train transport operators.
Contributions to Tokyo 2020
As worldwide partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Toyota will provide mobility solutions to the Games and will also work with its dealers, group companies and Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Japanese government and the City of Tokyo on the Everyone’s Medal Project, which aims to make 5 000 gold, silver and bronze medals from recycled material, as well as putting forward its employees to participate as volunteers for the Games.
Toyota is also working with the business world in Japan to deepen the understanding of para sports, supporting the All Japan Business Committee’s Japan City Expo, and promoting technological leadership in the country.
