Toyota Greenways
| Issue | Environment |
|---|---|
| Aim | To clean up local streets and plant trees |
| Area | Brussels, Belgium |
Duration
28 March 2009 (FY08)
14 March 2010 (FY09)
14 March 2010 (FY09)
Organisation
Toyota Technical Center Zaventem, Toyota Motor Europe, Municipality of Zaventem, Econet
Funding
€3.000 in FY08
€12.000 in FY09
€12.000 in FY09
Testimonial
For Zaventem, it is the first time one of the many companies located in our commune approaches us to jointly provide a service to the community. We thank the Toyota employees and hope we can continue this excellent initiative in the future.”Francis Vermeiren, Mayor of Zaventem
“We are very happy and proud that so many members and their families joined this activity, despite the rain. It shows that being a member of the local community through activities such as the Greenway tree planting is truly a part of the Toyota culture. I’m very proud of the teamwork and commitment shown by our members and the fact that so many children contributed to this activity”Ahmet Karaman, General Manager, Body Engineering 2
“It was a really good activity to do with family: My family and I really had great fun. We never had such an activity in Japan.”Masayuki Amano, Senior Principal Engineer
“There is a real need for such activity (cleaning and renewing plants), and I am happy that this took place thanks to TME, with a good team spirit!! When is the next one?
Jean-Nicolas Dorat, Senior Engineer
Toyota Greenways
Toyota Motor Europe has two large sites in Brussels that are situated about six kilometres apart. They are the Technical Centre in the Hoge Wei, Zaventem and the European Head Office located in the Bourgetlaan. The Technical Centre developed the idea of upgrading the existing trails between the two sites into a walking and cycling route. The route is also part of the larger Slow Routes plan of the Flemish Region.
Dubbed the ‘Toyota Greenway’, the project began with a pilot Walk - Clean – Plant activity on 28 March 2009 in collaboration with the Municipality of Zaventem and Econet, a non-profit organisation that specialises in the preservation of historical landscapes and the greening of urban areas.
About 50 volunteers walked in two groups from each Toyota site to the main planting site. As they walked, the teams collected 65 sacks of rubbish whilst enjoying the small roads that wind through the local residential and farming communities. After about an hour, the two teams linked up at the Grote Kloosterstraat, an impressive sunken lane which has been neglected for some time and thus selected for the planting and restoration activity.
At the Grote Kloosterstraat, Econet gave a presentation about the importance of Sunken Lanes as a historical part of the Flemish landscape. The volunteers then planted 6 large trees and around 650 shrub and flower plants in the area. TME members and their families also wove branches together into natural walls that protect the banks of the lane from erosion.
The Mayor of the Zaventem municipality also joined the event to thank and encourage the members.
After this successful pilot, TME will further cooperate with the Zaventem municipality, Econet and the Vlaamse Landmaatschappij to continue clean-up and restorations activities annually. With the help of Toyota members and the other partner organisations, these activities will ensure the Toyota Greenway remains a pleasant walking and biking trail.
Dubbed the ‘Toyota Greenway’, the project began with a pilot Walk - Clean – Plant activity on 28 March 2009 in collaboration with the Municipality of Zaventem and Econet, a non-profit organisation that specialises in the preservation of historical landscapes and the greening of urban areas.
About 50 volunteers walked in two groups from each Toyota site to the main planting site. As they walked, the teams collected 65 sacks of rubbish whilst enjoying the small roads that wind through the local residential and farming communities. After about an hour, the two teams linked up at the Grote Kloosterstraat, an impressive sunken lane which has been neglected for some time and thus selected for the planting and restoration activity.
At the Grote Kloosterstraat, Econet gave a presentation about the importance of Sunken Lanes as a historical part of the Flemish landscape. The volunteers then planted 6 large trees and around 650 shrub and flower plants in the area. TME members and their families also wove branches together into natural walls that protect the banks of the lane from erosion.
The Mayor of the Zaventem municipality also joined the event to thank and encourage the members.
After this successful pilot, TME will further cooperate with the Zaventem municipality, Econet and the Vlaamse Landmaatschappij to continue clean-up and restorations activities annually. With the help of Toyota members and the other partner organisations, these activities will ensure the Toyota Greenway remains a pleasant walking and biking trail.
Results
FY08: A total of 650 plants and shrubs were planted, together with six large summer oak trees.
FY09: A total of 3750 plants and shrubs were planted, together with 10 Fraxinus Excelsior trees.
FY09: A total of 3750 plants and shrubs were planted, together with 10 Fraxinus Excelsior trees.
Contact
Guillermo Denaux
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Corporate Planning Division
Toyota Motor Europe
Avenue du Bourget/Bourgetlaan 60
B-1140 Brussels, Belgium
T +32 2 745 5732
F +32 2 745 2068
guillermo.denaux@toyota-europe.com
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Corporate Planning Division
Toyota Motor Europe
Avenue du Bourget/Bourgetlaan 60
B-1140 Brussels, Belgium
T +32 2 745 5732
F +32 2 745 2068
guillermo.denaux@toyota-europe.com
