Toyota

Industries Automobiles and Components
Subsidiaries Lexus
Location Japan
(Along with 47 other companies)
Activism

Companies who scored 100% on the 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index.

These companies are committed to leveraging shareholder or investor assets for net-zero emission goals and climate ambitions for GFANZ, Climate Action 100+, CERES, PCAF, UN PRI, NZLA, FIT, or HSCP.

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CEO Action Pledge

Rating Overview

Risk Rating: Lower

Toyota is Lower Risk.

Toyota is Lower Risk. The company does not yield to political activism in shaping corporate governance, preventing initiatives that potentially alienate consumers, divide employees, and harm shareholders. The company elevates merit, excellence, and integrity ahead of race and identity-based policies. Toyota does not embrace corporate initiatives that redirect its central focus from business goals to partisan policies and divisive issues. This approach protects free exercise, free speech, and free enterprise.

Rating Criteria

Corporate Weaponization Risk Levels
Criteria Risk Level
Cancellations Lower Risk
Discriminatory Philanthropy Medium Risk
Employment Protection Medium Risk

Corporate Weaponization

Corporate Governance and Public Policy Risk Levels
Criteria Risk Level
Advocacy Bias Lower Risk
Funding Lower Risk
Political Actions High Risk

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Rating Criteria Detail

Criteria Risk Level Rationale

Corporate Weaponization


Criteria:

Has canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Toyota has not publicly canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (1)(2).

Criteria:

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Toyota’s corporate giving guidelines require that organizations abide by its nondiscrimination policy, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, thereby excluding some religious charities Toyota formerly (1)(2)(3).

Criteria:

Employment policies fail to protect against viewpoint or other discrimination and/or are ideological in nature.

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

In October 2024, Toyota pledged to end divisive employee resource groups (1). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (2)(3).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy


Criteria:

Uses corporate reputation to support causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Toyota’s former CEO, Tetsuo Ogawa, signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace (1)(2). The company scored a 100 out of 100 on the 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group (3)(4)(5).

Criteria:

Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Toyota had a history of giving to groups outside of its business interests. However, in October 2024, the company pledged to stop sponsoring nonbusiness activities (1)(2)(3). Lexus, a subsidiary of Toyota, is a partner of the HRC’s Foundation (4)(5). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of the company using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (6).

Criteria:

Uses corporate political actions and/or financial contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Toyota donated to the Equality PAC but has not lobbied for ideological purposes (1)(2)(3).