Reflections Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Akio Toyoda's Newspaper Discussion (Part 1)
Toyota President Akio Toyoda Reflects on COVID-19 Impact and Future Vision
In an exclusive interview published on July 7, 2021, in the morning edition of the Chunichi Shimbun, Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota, shared his thoughts on the changes brought about by the spread of COVID-19 and his vision for the future.
During the pandemic, Toyota supported several small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the production of medical protective clothing. This assistance helped stabilise their operations and expand their manufacturing capacity to meet the increased demand for protective gear.
President Toyoda also highlighted the smooth progress of the Woven City project and expressed his excitement about Toyota's potential to become even more innovative as a result.
He took measures to ensure staff at the training facility could spend time with their families during holidays, emphasising the importance of people, even with new technology and skills, to provide happiness to users.
President Toyoda noticed an increase in people approaching him for consultation and observed a feeling of closeness with people he interacts with online more frequently.
During the interview, he also discussed his image of his successor or the type of person he would like to pass the baton to as the next president of Toyota.
Part one of the two-part series carries the overall theme of "Thoughts during the COVID-19 pandemic." In it, President Toyoda expressed his gratitude to team members for changes in actions taken by Toyota's team members in response to COVID-19. He also observed changes in actions taken by Toyota's team members, such as support for companies producing medical equipment with Toyota's know-how.
President Toyoda also expressed a strengthened desire to provide mobility to everyone based on the idea of "not leaving a single person behind" in the SDGs. He emphasised the importance of listening to the people closest to the things, customers and the market, and respecting their opinion the most.
In addition, President Toyoda shared his thoughts on the new executive structure announced on June 30. He also mentioned that his commute time has decreased and he has fewer in-person meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, President Toyoda engaged in new hobbies, such as coloring and calligraphy, to occupy his time during quarantine. He also expressed that he became calmer over the past 11 years as president due to having more allies who are thinking about what to do together.
Toyota Times will share excerpts from the minutes of the interview via the two-part series. Stay tuned for more insights from Akio Toyoda on the future of Toyota and his thoughts on the impact of COVID-19.
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