UMW Toyota Motors Sdn Bhd (UMWT) recently celebrated the conclusion of the 23rd Toyota Eco Youth (TEY) program with a closing ceremony held at the Concorde Hotel in Shah Alam. The event, held from November 12-14, 2024, showcased impressive environmental projects from the top 10 finalist schools, selected from a pool of 15 participating institutions across Malaysia. This year’s TEY convention reinforced Toyota’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and underscored the company’s ambitious target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Launched on May 9, 2024, the Toyota Eco Youth program is a national-level environmental education initiative engaging Malaysian students aged 13 to 17. The program introduces participants to Toyota’s 8 Steps Problem Solving Methodology, encouraging them to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to real-world ecological challenges. Each participating school received a RM3,000 grant to develop a community-focused environmental project in alignment with Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050 goals.
On November 13, 2024, the top 10 schools presented their projects to a panel of judges, showcasing innovative solutions tailored to their communities’ environmental issues. Judging criteria included originality, clarity, relevance, and creativity, with on-site judging accounting for 40% of the final score. Schools were also evaluated on their project presentations, exhibitions, and social media outreach.
The finalist schools in the Toyota Eco Youth 2024 were:
- 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
The closing ceremony celebrated the winners in multiple categories, acknowledging the students’ dedication to environmental sustainability. The awards were as follows:
- Champion: SMK Choong Hua, Perak
- 1st Runner Up: SM Sung Siew Sandakan, Sabah
- 2nd Runner Up: SMK Alor Janggus, Kedah
Additional awards included:
- 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 from SMK Choong Hua, Perak
With a prize pool totaling RM77,000, the Toyota Eco Youth awards recognize and incentivize students’ innovative contributions to environmental conservation.
Since its inception in 2001, the Toyota Eco Youth program has grown into a nationwide initiative, involving nearly 600 schools and over 300,000 students. It is a key component of UMWT’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment, empowering youth to “Move Your World” by addressing environmental challenges within their communities.
“The Toyota Eco Youth program aligns with Toyota’s Environmental Challenge 2050 and is essential in fostering a generation of environmental stewards who will drive us toward carbon neutrality by 2050,” said Datuk Ravindran K., President of UMW Toyota Motor. “We aim for these projects to make a lasting difference in the communities and beyond the TEY program.”
Excited for the future, UMW Toyota announced the continuation of the Toyota Eco Youth program in 2025 to inspire more young innovators to work towards a sustainable future. For further information on the Toyota Eco Youth program, visit https://www.toyota.com.my/toyotaecoyouth/.
