Toyota Financial Services and Toyota Motor Sales Receive 100% Score on Human Rights Campaign's Annual Corporate Equality Index

TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) the nation's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, announced that both Toyota Financial Services (TFS) and Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) have once again received a perfect score of 100 on the 2012 Corporate Equality Index (CEI).  The CEI is the HRC's annual report card on corporate America's treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees, consumers and investors. 

TFS and TMS are among only 190 of 638 major U.S. businesses evaluated by HRC that achieved this recognition for diversity and inclusion efforts. This is the fifth consecutive year TMS achieved a score of 100 on the index and the fourth year for TFS, which began submitting information to the CEI from 2009.

"Toyota is honored to be recognized by the HRC," said Jerome Miller, vice president, diversity and inclusion, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. "Diversity and inclusion are essential components of every aspect of our business.  We believe building a work force that reflects the communities it serves is not only the right thing to do, but also gives us a competitive advantage in the marketplace."

Businesses are rated on a scale from 0 to 100, based on their policies in support of LGBT people.  These include anti-discrimination protections, domestic partner benefits, diversity training, transgender-inclusive benefits and external practices.  Results from the CEI are published in the HRC's annual "Buying for Equality" guide, where consumers are encouraged to buy products and services from those companies that support the LGBT community.

"This validation of our deep commitment to diversity and inclusion means a great deal not only to us and our Associates, but also to our customers and the LGBT organizations we are privileged to support, including GLAAD, Out and Equal Workplace Advocates, Point Foundation, the Trevor Project and many more," said Ann Bybee, vice president, corporate strategy, communications and corporate social responsibility, Toyota Financial Services.  "Toyota looks forward to continuing to work with HRC in its efforts to support the LGBT community nationwide."

The Corporate Equality Index is available for review at www.hrc.org/cei and the "Buying for Equality" guide can be downloaded at www.hrc.org/buyersguide.

About Toyota Financial Services
TFS is the finance and insurance brand for Toyota in the U.S., offering retail auto financing and leasing through Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (TMCC) and extended service contracts and other payment protection products through Toyota Motor Insurance Services (TMIS). TFS employs 3,300 associates nationwide, and has managed assets totaling nearly $92 billion.  It is part of a worldwide network of comprehensive financial services offered by Toyota Financial Services Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation.  For more information about Toyota Financial Services, please visit www.toyotafinancial.com.

About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion.
Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 1.76 million vehicles in 2010.  Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion.  For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com, www.lexus.com, www.scion.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.

SOURCE Toyota Financial Services