People all over the world want solutions that make life healthier and more sustainable. Sustainability is essential for all of us, but what does sustainability mean for us at IKEA? We want to have a positive impact on people, communities, and the planet. For us, it’s about balancing economic growth with positive social impact and environmental protection. We want to meet the needs of people without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. We want to inspire and enable as many people as possible to live more sustainably in a simple and affordable way.
We contribute through circular thinking, energy neutrality, and by having a positive impact wherever we are in the world. To do this, we need to rethink and encourage changes in lifestyles and consumption, and adopt new ways of working. We are committed to leading the way forward with our co-workers, customers, and partners—using our scale to make a positive difference. This is both a responsibility and a business opportunity. The more people we reach, the greater impact we can have—together making everyday life better for the many.
IKEA Global Environmental Policy, Reports, and Code of Conduct
A Step in the Right Direction
A more sustainable lifestyle can involve reducing waste, saving energy and water, and taking good care of the things you already own — that way, you help protect the environment and might even save money at the same time. Every step you take toward sustainability is a step in the right direction.
Sustainability every day
IKEA products for environmentally certified buildings
Many IKEA products are approved for use in environmentally certified buildings. If our customers want to buy products that meet the requirements of environmental certification schemes for buildings, they can get information on which products are already approved, and even request to have a product added to the certification schemes‘ list if desired. For example, for the HPP and SCDP databases of the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, information would be submitted to the Environment Agency of Iceland in accordance with the applicable building standards (new buildings and renovations) and can then be used in projects that work according to those standards without the product being Nordic Swan Ecolabel certified.
IKEA products do not generally have certification marks for sustainability or quality, as some manufacturers offer. The size of the IKEA brand and its international locations are the main reasons, since almost all certification schemes are local to one continent or even a smaller geographical area, such as the Nordic Swan, which we know well here in Iceland. Altogether there are about 350 sustainability certification marks in the world, and of these, over 230 could cover the operations of the IKEA brand.
The ideology of IKEA is that the brand is a quality mark in its own right, with products undergoing a rigorous process of sustainability, quality and safety requirements on par with those on which certification labels are based. However, IKEA is far from taking a stand against certifications and relies heavily on so-called B2B certifications for its raw material suppliers, such as FSC for wood products and MSC and ASC for seafood.
Products that promote sustainability
Most IKEA products contribute to sustainability in one way or another. We’re working towards a circular business where our planet‘s virgin resources are not the basis of our operations. By reducing the use of raw materials without compromising quality, using recycled materials such as plastic or wood, designing furniture that’s easy to reuse and recycle, and strictly limiting the materials allowed in production, we’re moving closer to this business model. Our products are designed and produced by people who rely on fair, meaningful and decent work that supports their cultures and origins. Among the white-painted chests of drawers we find colourful and creative products, some of which strengthen or preserve the cultural heritage of the artisans behind them and adorn millions of homes and businesses around the world. IKEA monitors its suppliers worldwide to ensure that they meet the strict requirements set out in the IWAY supplier standard, thus enabling us to partner with like-minded companies. Sustainability is not simple, but IKEA strives to find as many ways as possible to promote sustainability in its value chain. That’s why it’s been easy to get our products approved by environmental and sustainability certification schemes for buildings.
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