Toyota Motor North America is teaming up with Jane Goodall Institute program Roots & Shoots to inspire change to make the world a healthier place. The automaker's $100,000 grant will be used over the next year to fund community service projects and conduct four sustainability-focused events.
Roots & Shoots is a youth program, created by Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, and UN Messenger of Peace. Since 1991, the program has worked with change-makers. It now exists in all 50 U.S. states, and in more than 65 countries.
The goal of each of the partnership's service programs will be to preserve and restore wildlife habitat and inspire action "on behalf of the natural world we all share," according to a press release. The automaker sees the partnership as a "genuine investment in sustainability as a bottom line with a tangible vision and timelines."
Roots & Shoots is designed to lead eco-conscious thinking and actions both inside and outside the classroom, helping students tackle issues that include people, animals and the environment. The program uses a four-step formula to create and implement community service projects.
"Our founder Dr. Jane Goodall has shown us what's possible when you lead with curiosity, boldness and kindness," Mary Ford, senior director of Roots & Shoots USA told Newsweek.
"That's what makes Roots & Shoots special and it's how we work in over 65 countries worldwide. Roots & Shoots is all about the interconnection of people, other animals and the environment and the active, hopeful role we each play in building a better world locally and globally. As the Jane Goodall Institute leads with these principles, we partner with like-minded companies who are invested in seeking a truly sustainable future for all.
"This partnership highlights a model that we hope will inspire other corporate partners. Jane and the Jane Goodall Institute use programs like Roots & Shoots to build bridges to sustainability and support companies working on concrete goals and actions. By leading in this way, we've connected to dozens of corporate partners to grow meaningful relationships. Now more than ever—as Jane emphasizes—we must find common ground and partners to foster a world where we can all thrive."
This isn't the first time that Toyota has partnered with the Jane Goodall Institute. The U.S. program was inspired by a similar one conducted in partnership between Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada and the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada. That work centered around the automaker's Cambridge, Ontario, assembly plant.
"Toyota has a culture of sustainability, including conservation and helping to build healthy ecosystems, and we try to share that culture in communities where we operate. As we look at how to help train and educate youth on biodiversity, Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots youth program provides environmental education and experience to participants with a goal of preserving and restoring wildlife habitat, something that they will take with them and hopefully use to act more responsibly in the future," Kevin Butt, regional environmental sustainability director at Toyota Motor North America told Newsweek.
Toyota's move toward carbon neutrality and investing in programs like Roots & Shoots is part of its larger Environmental Challenge 2050 plan. The company aims to go beyond traditional carbon-reduction techniques, aiming to eliminate negative environmental impacts from its business practices, creating "positive value for the planet and society."
In addition to the carbon-emissions goal, Toyota aims to eliminate CO₂ emissions from operations, suppliers and dealers; conserve water; protect human resources; support a circular economy; conserve biodiversity; protect species and restore habitats.
