January 19, 2024 – The City of Jyväskylä (※1), Toyota GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (“TGR-WRT”), and Toyota Mobility Foundation (”TMF”), has established a new foundation “Central Finland Mobility Foundation” (Cefmof) to realize the mutual goal to achieve a carbon neutral, sustainable and diversified society through community development in harmony with people and nature based on the LoI concluded in August 3rd2023. Cefmof is chaired by Timo Koivisto (Mayor of Jyväskylä), with Yuichiro Haruna (CEO, TGR-WRT) and Shigeru Hayakawa (Deputy Chairman, TMF) serving as board members, and Haruka Arai as Executive Director and Lauri Perämäki as Deputy Executive Director.
*1. A city with a population of 146,000 located in the Lake District in central Finland where many students reside, and which plays a central role in Finland in the areas of sports, business, education, and culture.
| Name | Central Finland Mobility Foundation (Cefmof) |
| Objective of Establishment and Main Activities | ［Objective of Establishment］ Promote urban development where people and nature can co-exist in harmony through realizing a carbon-neutral and sustainable society ［Main Activities］ ・Study and implement measures for carbon neutrality ・Provide citizens with information on available transportation, road conditions, etc. during the harsh winter season , etc. |
| Location | Within the City of Jyväskylä |
| Founders Board Members Secretariats | ［Founders］ City if Jyväskylä, TGR-WRT, TMF ［Board Members］ Chairman Timo Koivisto（Mayor of Jyväskylä） Board Member Yuichiro Haruna（CEO, TGR-WRT） Board Member Shigeru Hayakawa (Deputy Chairman, TMF） ［Secretariats］ Executive director Haruka Arai Deputy executive director Lauri Perämäki |
| Basic Capital | EUR 60,000 (Each founders to contribute EUR 20,000each) |
| Website | https://cefmof.org/ |
Timo Koivisto (Mayor of Jyväskylä)
It’s great that with the Letter of Intent signed in summer 2023, we now have a formal structure for our cooperation. The city is honored that Toyota has chosen Jyväskylä as one of its partners in building a carbon neutral future. The City of Jyväskylä is currently working to ensure that the construction of the TGR-WRT Technical Center gets underway as quickly as possible,”
Yuichiro Haruna (CEO, TGR-WRT)
I am very pleased a big step forward through the establishment of Cefmof. This is one of the ways to realize TGR-WRT Chairman Akio Toyoda’s ideal of creating a new trend of carbon neutrality in motorsports, and we have already received endorsements and inquiries from companies in Finland and abroad. We look forward to Cefmof’s growth in cooperation with the city of Jyväskylä and the start of construction of the TGR-WRT Technical center.
Shigeru Hayakawa（Deputy Chairman, TMF）
I am very pleased have established Cefmof after the signing of the LoI, to promote carbon-neutral urban development in Jyväskylä together with the City of Jyväskylä and TGR-WRT. To start off, we will support the creation of a better mobility during the harsh winter months and promote initiatives aimed at harmonizing people and nature.
Haruka Arai （Executive Director, Cefmof）
Cefmof is committed to working with the community to think about and advance the carbon neutralization of the city of Jyväskylä, and to bring sustainable change to the community. Our mission is a big one, and we believe that in order to achieve it, it is essential to collaborate with a wide range of partners, including the local community and citizens, businesses and educational institutions.
In my previous position at a Japanese telecommunications company, I worked as a venture capitalist in addition to steadily supporting and promoting collaboration among diverse companies and organizations. With this experience, I will continue to promote meaningful initiatives in cooperation with the local community.
