Toyota is committed to help enrich the quality of the environment in our community. As winter is the prime time for planting, we embraced the frost with smiles to plant 600 trees and shrubs on a January Sunday morning.
Green alliance to grow a new forest in our community
Employees of Toyota Parts Centre Europe support City of Diest to create a biodiverse haven
29/01/2024
Planting new life in the frozen ground
Employees of Toyota Parts Centre Europe (TPCE) came together with shovels in hands to give birth to a forest in Webbekom, 3km away from their workplace in City of Diest, Belgium. Black alder, willow, elder - one by one, over 600 trees and shrubs of biodiverse species selected by the city’s environmental council were put into the ground. They will grow to form a new public forest of around 2.4km2 with walking trails and benches, just a few steps away from the Webbekoms Broeke natural reserve where you can continue your walk or get on your bike.
Our vision: Harmony with nature
More than 6,000 people work at our 3 sites in Belgium, including 1,200 employed by TPCE, a cornerstone of our parts distribution in Europe handling over 60 million parts and accessories per year. Since 2015 when Toyota formulated the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, we have been working not only to reduce CO2 emissions from our cars and operations, but also to support harmony with nature where we operate.
“Our ambition is to contribute to enhancing environment whilst achieving a successful, sustainable operation. That’s why the city council’s commitment to create a new green oasis resonated with us. We are very pleased we can continue our journey towards harmony with nature as a member of the community.”
Karel Verpoorten, Head of Parts Supply Chain Group TME
Toyota’s second forest project in Belgium
Belgium's Flemish Region sets its sights on a greener future: 4,000 hectares of new forest by the end of 2024. Toyota Motor Europe has taken part in this challenge through two foresting projects. The initiative of Diest City forest follows the first one, Zavelbos in the municipality of Zaventem which opened in May 2023. In December 2023, the Zavelbos won the Public Green Award as the Flemish Association for Public Green Space (VVOG) named it as an inspiring example of publicly accessible greenery project.
Zaventem wins four prizes with Zeen and Zavelbos
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