123. Innovating with the Planet in Mind

Replenishing the environment for future generations through the power of collaboration. This is the belief that drives sustainability practices at Toyota Motor North America. . From recycling water to improving biodiversity, Toyota is balancing a passion for performance with a love for the planet. Leading this charge is 30-year company veteran in sustainability practices, Kevin Butt, Senior Director of Environmental Sustainability. . With full responsibility for Toyota Motor’s North American Environmental Action Plan, Kevin is passionate about educating team members and sharing the company’s environmental know-how with suppliers, partners, communities, and even competitors. As evidence of the company’s superior commitment to sustainability, Toyota’s North American manufacturing facilities totaled 713.8 million pounds of waste in 2020—and they recycled, reused or composted 93.2% of it. . We sat down with Kevin to discuss environmental strategy, including the importance of water conservation and its impact on food supply. It’s an inspiring conversation that shows why Kevin gets up every day feeling good about what he does. . We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform. . Sign up for the SAE SmartBrief---now publishing 5x per week with Tuesday/Thursday editions focused on sustainability news! .  Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.