Toyota Celebrates Teamwork And Inclusivity At The Special Olympics Unified Cup
July 12, 2018 by ToyotaPartnership Reinforces Mobility Company's Belief in a Barrier-Free World PLANO, Texas (July 12, 2018) – Next week, Toyota will further demonstrate its global commitment to inclusion as the presenting sponsor of the 2018 Special Olympics Unified Cup in Chicago, held from July 17-20, 2018. Both Special Olympics and Toyota share the same goal in creating a society without discrimination through sports and a commitment to a sustainable society through mobility. Toyota has a long history with sports that goes back over 80 years, when the company first opened for business and at the same time organized a track and field team. Since then, the principles learned through participating in sports—teamwork and continuous improvement—have guided the company both internally and externally. These values also carry over into Toyota's evolution, as it has moved from producing looms, to cars, and now, a wide range of mobility solutions. As a company dedicated to helping people move across town, across a room, and through life, Toyota believes in an inclusive, barrier-free world, where everyone is free to be the best we can be. This desire to inspire others and challenge currently held values for the company's first-ever global initiative, 'Start Your Impossible', which was launched last year and highlights humility, hard work, and overcoming challenges—all themes that carry over into team sports. Special Olympics is focused on creating an inclusive community around the world through sport. Through their 'unified sports', everyone, regardless of intellectual disabilities, plays together while understanding and respecting each individual's character and differences. 'During my school days, I was completely devoted to field hockey and learned the importance of fighting as part of 'one team','' said Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motor Corporation. 'In Special Olympics, sport is not the only challenge; even daily life can be a battle to people with intellectual disabilities and those who support them in everyday life. A truly inclusive society, like the one being represented by 'Unified Sports,' is one where people with intellectual disabilities are not just supported by those charged with helping them, but where people with and without disabilities live side by side, grow up together, and learn from each other. It is this type of society that Toyota wants to contribute to. Our partnership with Special Olympics has given Toyota a teammate, and we will challenge this quest together.' 'At Toyota, we believe that movement is a human right, and that when a person is free to move, anything is possible,' said Ed Laukes, group vice president, Toyota division marketing, Toyota Motor North America. 'With Special Olympics, we share the common goal of creating a more mobile and inclusive society. Together, as a team both on and off the field, we'll work to give everyone the ability to make their dreams come true.' Regionally, Toyota has been involved with local Special Olympics chapters since 1986 and sponsored the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. In 2017, Toyota entered in to an agreement with Special Olympics International to become a Global Gold Partner through 2022. In addition, Toyota is also a Global Unified Sports Partner through 2020, and a Special Olympics Unified Cup Partner for the duration of the Chicago games.
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'Special Olympics is excited to partner with Toyota and showcase the power of inclusion through sport on the global stage,' said CEO Mary Davis. 'The Special Olympics Unified Cup presented by Toyota will unite athletes from all over the world and demonstrate that when we train and compete together, we break down barriers and change the game for inclusion.' About Special Olympics Special Olympics is a global inclusion movement using sport, health, education and leadership programs every day around the world to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Founded in 1968, and celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, the Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 5 million athletes and Unified partners in more than 170 countries. With the support of more than 1 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers 32 Olympic-type sports and over 108,000 games and competitions throughout the year. Special Olympics is supported by individuals, foundations and partners, including Bank of America, the Christmas Records Trust, The Coca-Cola Company, ESPN, Essilor Vision Foundation, the Golisano Foundation, the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics, Lions Clubs International, Microsoft, Safilo Group, TOYOTA, United Airlines, and The Walt Disney Company. Click here for a full list of partners. Engage with us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and our blog on Medium. Learn more at www.SpecialOlympics.org About Toyota Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 47,000 people (more than 37,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.7 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2017 – and about 87 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road today. Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to assist more people move more places. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
