Toyota (GB) PLC Staff Enhance Wildlife Gardens at Epsom HQ and Unveil New Eco-HQ Signage

As the finale to Toyota (GB) PLC’s Green Month at its Burgh Heath headquarters near Epsom, on Friday 29 June a group of staff helped build the latest additions to the office’s wildlife-friendly gardens.  In addition, a series of eight eco-HQ signs were officially unveiled by HR director, Robin Giles.

Working with Kew Gardens, the Surrey Wildlife Trust and local environmental contractors Conservation and Access, Toyota staff created a range of installations including:

• New Eco-HQ signage printed on recycled aluminium to help staff and visitors enjoy the gardens in all seasons. These colourful signs give an extra insight into the species that make the Toyota gardens their home.
• Two new bug hotels to provide a habitat for hundreds of bugs, bees and beetles.
• A hibernaculum to give frogs and recently discovered newts a safe place to bed down for the winter.
• A habitat stack to provide a home for detritivore species, such as stag beetles, that consume dead wood and are an important part of the food-chain.
• Ten bird boxes, ten bat boxes and an owl box.

John Ryan, Toyota (GB) PLC Specialist, CSR & Environmental Affairs, said: “It’s been so rewarding to work on such a brilliant project with so many fabulous people. I’m thrilled to have played my part with Toyota to great such a great place for our people and wildlife”

Bethan Hobbs of Kew Gardens commented: “Here at Kew we’re thrilled to have worked with Toyota to create such wonderful spaces that benefit our ecosystem and garden visitors of all descriptions – birds and animals as well as people.”

Andrew Wright, Conservation and Access said, “It’s been such a privilege to work with Toyota delivering the signage and creating the wildlife friendly features. I’ve been so impressed by Toyota’s commitment to the environment locally and globally, I’ve even bought one of their Hilux pick-ups.

Toyota GB’s Burgh Heath HQ is surrounded by gardens that increase biodiversity and enable wildlife to thrive in a range of habitats, including fruit trees, ponds, wildflowers, shrubs and beehives, while creating an attractive backdrop for the offices. There are several areas for staff to walk through and sit in during breaks. Since moving to the Burgh Heath site in 2001 Toyota has put various wildlife initiatives in place, introducing native plant species from the surrounding countryside and even introducing a number of beehives to the site.  There is evidence of 12 scarce invertebrates plus amphibians, birds and bats in the gardens.

Notes for editors

Toyota (GB) PLC Green Month

June is Toyota (GB) PLC’s green month, in which the company runs a series of displays, talks and green initiatives at its Burgh Heath headquarters, to raise awareness of environmental issues and to introduce eco-friendly initiatives as part of the company’s commitment to achieve its Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050.

ENDS