The report gauges the gap between public perception of a brand’s environmental performance (or ‘green image’) compared to actual environmental practices using publicly available data and information.

The company’s success in the annual report, according to Interbrand, is that Toyota has continued to maintain environmental sustainability as part of the company’s core management priority. Interbrand also cites the expansion of the world’s first mass-produced full hybrid model, the Toyota Prius, into a full family range 15 years after the model’s launch as a further success story for the company.

Sales of the company’s full hybrid vehicles have surpassed four million units globally since the end of April, including around 430 000 units sold in Europe. Toyota Europe plans to increase the sales share of full hybrid Toyota and Lexus vehicles in 2012 to 14% which currently stands at around 10%.

In South Africa, the ‘quiet’ revolution gathers momentum with the imminent launch this month of the European-built Toyota Yaris Hybrid. This brings the local Toyota Hybrid family to three: the recently re-positioned Prius is at the top of the environmental chain, followed by the very well received Auris HSD and now the Yaris HSD, which is the first time that Toyota will offer its greenest technology in a B-segment vehicle. On the luxury front, Lexus has a full spectrum hybrid range (CT, RX, GS and LS).

As the company continues to strive to create the ultimate eco-car, Toyota remains committed to its 360° approach in sustainable operations, aiming to reduce carbon emissions throughout the complete manufacturing and sales processes. The company is also working towards conserving natural resources through re-use and recycling of materials.