14 DAY TRIAL // If you are a fan of classic Disney, you are probably familiar with those scenes where the heroine starts singing, yodeling or whatever and a bunch of animal groupies rush to her side. Apparently, Toyota dreams of becoming one such Disney princess.
Long story short, the Japanese automotive manufacturer has recently announced plans to turn both its production sites and headquarters in the United Kingdom into habitats for plants and wildlife.
To this end, the car maker has entered a partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, i.e. a scientific organization specializing in biodiversity, sustainable development, and conservation, Toyota explains in a press release.
“Toyota has taken a lead in the UK motor industry in establishing a partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to strengthen the ecological and environmental quality of its UK operations,” the automaker writes.
“The new collaboration is transforming Toyota’s production sites and its national headquarters into thriving, sustainable habitats for plants and wildlife, supporting Toyota’s global principle of working in harmony with the environment,” it adds.
As part of this collaboration, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is to help the Japanese automotive manufacturer set up a so-called greed grid at Toyota's Burnaston car manufacturing plant in Derbyshire.
Thus, the car maker aims to equip the 2.35 million-square meter site with natural habitats spanning over 230,000 square meters. This is in addition to the meadows, grasslands, wetlands, woods and hedgerows the site already accommodates for.
The Japanese automotive manufacturer expects that, by means of this project, it will manage to prove that, contrary to what some might think, it is possible for an industrial site to play house to biodiversity and carry on with its working agenda at the same time.
Similar measures will be implemented at the company's headquarters in sales and marketing headquarters in Surrey, where the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, will help the car maker plant native species and create an orchard and a meadow.
“This is a unique project and it marks a radical change in the way we manage our site. We are able to introduce these measures side by side with our essential business of making cars, developing ecology, nurturing biodiversity and extending our commitment to environmental leadership.”
“The legacy of this project will be to show that a manufacturer, working with Kew, can create an ecologically rich environment that connects with its local surroundings and community,” Tony Walker with Toyota Manufacturing UK comments on this initiative.