tal leadership by maintaining the performance of more than ... - Toyota
tal leadership by maintaining the performance of more than ... - Toyota
tal leadership by maintaining the performance of more than ... - Toyota
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<strong>Toyota</strong> European Sustainability Report 2011 I Social Performance<br />
54<br />
Engaging with Business Partners<br />
Mark Adams<br />
Vice-President Purchasing<br />
The destruction brought <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> tsunami, <strong>the</strong> interruptions<br />
to electricity and associated logistical access problems,<br />
resulted in serious loss <strong>of</strong> capacity in Japan for critical<br />
electronic components. These highly sophisticated devices<br />
are widely used <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> global automotive industry and<br />
<strong>Toyota</strong> in Europe was equally impacted.<br />
Production volumes were signifi cantly reduced in April and<br />
May as a result. We were keen to communicate this as<br />
quickly and clearly as possible to our suppliers in Europe<br />
to enable <strong>the</strong>m to plan <strong>the</strong>ir own production and manage<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir resources effectively. Our new “supplier self service”<br />
communication por<strong>tal</strong> proved valuable in this respect.<br />
Our attention was also drawn to <strong>the</strong> possible fi nancial<br />
distress that suppliers may be experiencing. The recent<br />
economic crisis had left some suppliers in a fragile<br />
fi nancial condition. The deterioration <strong>of</strong> cash fl ow due<br />
to volume reduction would require additional customer<br />
support mechanisms. Once again, a daily regime <strong>of</strong> risk<br />
management was initiated.<br />
We remain true to our principles <strong>of</strong> quality fi rst, and treat<br />
downtimes as opportunities to improve our processes<br />
and systems to be even stronger for when <strong>the</strong> good times<br />
return. This spirit <strong>of</strong> never-ending improvement defi nes <strong>the</strong><br />
spirit <strong>of</strong> <strong>Toyota</strong> and its suppliers working toge<strong>the</strong>r to build<br />
a better future.<br />
The <strong>Toyota</strong> Purchasing Policy<br />
The Global <strong>Toyota</strong> Purchasing Policy remains <strong>the</strong> bedrock<br />
for all our business operations in <strong>the</strong> purchasing division.<br />
2011 brought a new challenge to <strong>the</strong><br />
automotive industry via <strong>the</strong> aftermath <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Great East Japan Earthquake. We quickly<br />
learnt that <strong>the</strong> affected region was home to<br />
many suppliers in <strong>the</strong> lower tiers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> supply<br />
chain, providing key components to many <strong>of</strong><br />
our vehicle functions.<br />
In our relationships with suppliers, we identify long term<br />
investment in safety and quality as key pre-requisites <strong>of</strong> a<br />
sustainable business model.<br />
In spite <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> enormous challenges <strong>of</strong> recovery from <strong>the</strong><br />
recent fi nancial crisis, and <strong>the</strong> earthquake, we remained<br />
consistent in applying <strong>the</strong> Purchasing Policy pillars.<br />
Safety<br />
Quality<br />
Cost<br />
Production<br />
Mark Adams<br />
Sustainable Growth<br />
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY<br />
<strong>Toyota</strong>’s corporate social responsibility policy drives <strong>the</strong><br />
daily operations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> purchasing teams.<br />
Our focus on safety at every aspect <strong>of</strong> our operations, inhouse<br />
and at suppliers remains <strong>the</strong> second fundamen<strong>tal</strong><br />
business pillar.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> area <strong>of</strong> quality, we set targets to ensure customer<br />
satisfaction that should ensure a path to sustainable<br />
growth.