Celebrating Innovation and Environmental Stewardship Among Youth
UMW Toyota Motors Sdn Bhd (UMWT) concluded the 23rd edition of the Toyota Eco Youth (TEY) with a grand closing ceremony at the Concorde Hotel, Shah Alam, after a three-day exhibition and convention running from 12 to 14 November 2024. The three-day exhibition and convention showcased the outstanding environmental projects undertaken by top 10 finalists from 15 participating schools from all over Malaysia. This event also highlighted Toyota’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and Toyota’s vision towards carbon neutrality by 2050.
Empowering Youth for a Sustainable Future
The Toyota Eco Youth program, a national-level environmental education initiative, was launched on the 9th of May 2024, with participation from 15 schools nationwide, involving students aged 13 to 17. Participants engaged in Toyota’s 8 Steps Problem Solving Methodology, fostering critical thinking and practical problem-solving skills. Each school was given a RM3,000 grant to initiate their projects which addresses environmental challenges within their communities, aligned with Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050 and its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Showcase and Evaluation Highlights
On 13th November 2024, the top 10 schools presented their projects to a panel of judges, demonstrating their creative and impactful solutions to help address local community ecological concerns. Judging criteria emphasised originality, clarity, relevance and exhibit creativity. On-site judging contributed 40% to each school’s final score, with additional points from project presentations, exhibitions and social media engagement.
These were the top 10 schools for Toyota Eco Youth 2024:
- SMK Bukit Batu, Johor
- SMK Alor Janggus, Kedah
- SMK Sultan Ismail, Kelantan
- SMK Seri Bentong, Pahang
- SMK Choong Hua, Perak
- SM Sung Siew Sandakan, Sabah
- SMK Bukit Indah, Selangor
- SMK Bandar Samariang, Sarawak
- SM Saint Anne, WP Labuan
- SMK Putrajaya Presint 8(1), WP Putrajaya
Recognition and Awards
The closing ceremony was highlighted by the announcement of winners across several categories, celebrating and encouraging their contributions towards environmental sustainability. Below is the list of the recognition and awards for TEY2024:
- Champion: SMK Choong Hua, Perak
- 1st Runner Up: SM Sung Siew Sandakan, Sabah
- 2nd Runner Up: SMK Alor Janggus, Kedah
- Best Presentation: SM Sung Siew Sandakan, Sabah
- Best Exhibition: SMK Alor Janggus, Kedah
- Best Social Media: SMK Choong Hua, Perak
- Most Supportive Teacher: Mr Lee Tack Hooi & Ms Yeak Hwai Keen, SMK Choong Hua, Perak
This year’s awards, part of a prize pool totalling RM77,000, underscored UMWT’s commitment to incentivising innovation and creativity in environmental conservation among youth.
Environmental Stewardship and Achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2050
Since its inception in 2001, the Toyota Eco Youth program has evolved from a local initiative to a national-level program, involving almost 600 schools and more than 300,000 students nationwide. The program is part of UMWT’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, underscoring UMWT’s mission to empower youth to “Move Your World” by actively addressing ecological challenges in the communities.
“The Toyota Eco Youth program is not only aligned with Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050 but is also a crucial step in cultivating a new generation of environmental stewards which also contributes to our goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Our goal is also to ensure these projects have a lasting impact in the local communities and beyond the conclusion of this year’s TEY program.” said Datuk Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor.
Toyota Eco Youth 2025
UMW Toyota is excited to announce that the Toyota Eco Youth program will continue in 2025 to support young innovators and to further encourage environmental stewardship, for a greener and more sustainable future. UMWT hopes to continue this program in the many more years to come, inspiring future generations to take meaningful action towards environmental conservation.
For more information on the Toyota Eco Youth program, please visit https://www.toyota.com.my/toyotaecoyouth/.
