For the past three years, Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) has partnered with Canadian Blood Services (CBS), an organization focused on continuously improving the lives of Canadians. Today, CBS named TCI and its Dealers as the 2019 recipient of the Canadian Blood Services National Partnership Award, recognizing the impact the company’s support has had on the organization.

“We are most grateful for the financial and recruitment support of corporate partners like Toyota Canada and its dealers, who have helped us provide better outcomes for Canadian patients and will continue to do so for years to come,” says Rick Prinzen, Canadian Blood Services chief supply chain officer and vice-president of donor relations.

Leslie Miller (left), Director and Officer, Finance & Accounting, Toyota Canada Inc. and Andy Caletti (centre), a member of Toyota Canada’s Dealer Communications Team, receiving the Canadian Blood Services 2019 National Partnership Award in Ottawa.

Collaboration between Toyota and CBS began as a knowledge sharing project in 2015. For more than 70 years, Toyota has excelled at developing its manufacturing processes and has worked hard to continuously improve them. Based on the philosophies of the world-renowned Toyota Production System, Toyota has helped hundreds of other organizations enhance productivity, maximize available resources and improve quality.

In its first Canadian project in 2015, the Toyota Production System Support Centre (TSSC http://www.tssc.com) collaborated with Canadian Blood Services
http://media.toyota.ca/releases/two-unlikely-partners-one-powerful-and-innovative-collaboration:-toyota-teams-with-canadian-blood-services-to-improve-productivity-service-and-quality-for-canadians to identify opportunities for process improvements at its production and distribution facilities. Significant improvements included additional production time, a 40% reduction in packing time, more than a 30% increase in productivity and a 30% reduction in steps taken by employees every day.

Today, TCI and its Dealers also provide financial support for the organization’s investments in innovation and technology.

At the local level, one in five Toyota Dealers across Canada have taken the program even further by actively engaging with their local communities to help spread awareness and provide support for local donation efforts: hosting blood donation events, loaning shuttle vehicles, donating ad space, as well as other activities.

“Toyota Canada is proud to receive the Canadian Blood Services 2019 National Partnership Award, recognizing the work we’ve done over the past three years to support the organization’s continuous improvement and innovation,” said Leslie Miller, Director and Officer of Finance and Accounting at Toyota Canada Inc. “We’d also like to recognize our Dealers for extending the company’s support for this important Canadian organization to their local communities across the country.