Toyota Kirloskar Motor Recognized For Best Water Management Practices With ‘TERI Water Sustainability Awards’

* Awarded under the ‘Water Users in Industrial Sector’ category

* Sustainable development is integral to the brand's approach on Resource Management and Environmental Protection

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) was recently awarded with the TERI Water Sustainability Awards 2022, in collaboration with IWA and UNDP, India, under the ‘Water Users in Industrial Sector’ category. This award is a testament to TKM’s relentless efforts in setting-up benchmark practices in becoming “Water Positive Company”. Extremely coveted, the Water Sustainability Awards recognize excellence in new approaches, technologies, and other forms of innovation in the water sector as a means of achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 6.

Over the years, TKM has consciously adopted sustainable business practices and transforming from a carmaker to a mobility company. Keeping with our principle of ‘Respect for the Planet’, Toyota globally announced the ‘Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050’ (TEC 2050) in October 2015 comprising of six environment challenges.  We at Toyota are committed to achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2050 & moving towards realizing ‘Net Carbon Zero in Manufacturing Operations’ by 2035. Our key goal is to achieve net zero carbon (CO2) emission throughout the entire lifecycle of our products that goes well beyond vehicles, addressing our entire value-chain, including manufacturing activities.

Further, we have adopted a holistic approach, and are actively engaged in various sustainable initiatives that covers shift to renewable energy, promoting a recycling-based society, reduction in water consumption and various nature conservation activities, thus reinforcing our commitment to build a better, smarter, more sustainable future, creating a net positive impact on the planet and society. Under Toyota’s global environmental six thematic challenges, one of the challenges is dedicated towards ‘minimising and optimizing water usage.’

Expressing his delight about the conferred recognition, Mr. Raju B. Ketkale, Executive Vice President of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “For us at Toyota, environment is of prime importance and all our initiatives are designed to bring down the environmental impacts and achieve our ultimate goal of ‘Living in Harmony with Nature.’ Through our various efforts, we hope to make a positive impact on the environment and the community around us. The increasing population and dependence on industrial products are causing a water crisis and since water is a shared resource, we all have a responsibility to use it consciously and conserve it.

It is an honour receiving this award and we are extremely grateful to the jury of TERI for giving us a platform and recognizing our water conservation initiatives. This has further motivated us to go forward with more energy towards conservation of the most important resource of nature, Water.”

Striving towards the water sustainability goal, TKM has adopted various novel initiatives at the manufacturing site in Bidadi, Karnataka. To reduce freshwater consumption, TKM is enhancing water efficiency through innovative kaizen and have installed a state-of-the-art RO and MBR wastewater treatment technologies, by which 60% of such wastewater is being recycled for manufacturing processes. TKM has also built 51,000 m3 capacity of Rainwater Harvesting Ponds, which are used for manufacturing and non-manufacturing applications. With these initiatives, TKM has drastically reduced freshwater consumption by 90% in the production processes. Needless to mention, the average groundwater level at TKM increased from 90ft (2014) to 45ft (2021). Further, TKM continues to share the best practices on water usage reduction across their value-chain including supplier and dealer partners to make a real difference.

Furthermore, on signature days like World Environment Day and World Water Day, TKM with its enhanced efforts continues to create awareness amongst its stakeholders on water scenario & conservation methods through eco-webinars and experience sharing by environmental experts.

TKM has also established an outdoor experiential environment learning centre– ECOZONE which has 17 environment learning themes, interlinked to create awareness on Climate Change, Energy, Water, Waste, and Biodiversity. Till date, more than 19,600 school students have been trained at this centre, which includes a detailed module on Water Conservation. The training is aimed to create eco champions and ushering in behavioural change in the young minds to protect our nature and its valuable resources.

Towards contributing to the betterment of community, TKM recently rejuvenated a lake in the vicinity of Abbanakuppe, Bidadi (Ramnagara District, Karnataka), to benefit six surrounding villages. Further, TKM has also installed 43 water purification units across 267 villages, benefitting more than 280,000 people.

Toyota's interventions are driven by community involvement, ownership and awareness, the seeds of which are planted in our holistic engagement model. With the support of all the stakeholders and business partners, TKM intends to build a future society in ‘Harmony with Nature.’