IKEA, the world’s largest furniture distributor, hasn’t let the death of its founder put it off its game. In a statement that would make the late Ingvar Kamprad proud, the company announced that in 2019, over 70 percent of all materials used to make its products were either renewable or recycled. And IKEA’s not done yet.
From the company’s headquarters in Älmhut, Sweden, a company spokesperson announced that its goal is to become a “circular and emission-free company” by 2030, while remaining broadly affordable and continuing to grow its outreach.
By 2030, IKEA wants to use only recycled materials in 100 percent of its products, which will involve some re-imagining of what it will have on offer. IKEA also wants all of its stores, manufacturing centers, and fleets to run on entirely renewable energy.
“By applying these measures and given our scope we will have the opportunity to inspire and improve the quality of life for several billion people,” said Inter IKEA Group CEO Torbjörn Lööf in a statement on August 5, 2020.
Currently, IKEA uses approximately 1 percent of all newly harvested lumber each year. The company wants to cut that to zero and use only reclaimed wood. In addition, it intends to begin offering repair services and repurchasing furniture that customers no longer need. These measures are designed to discourage people from treating its products as disposable, prolonging their life and reducing waste. Those same practices will be put into play in their stores and offices: “reduce, reuse, recycle” is becoming the company motto.
IKEA’s goal is to be a role model for responsible, sustainable behavior. Stores will both be solar-powered and sell solar panels. The iconic cafe will prioritize vegetarian dishes and sell only sustainable food products, without single-use plastics. IKEA has always wanted customers to walk through their showroom and be inspired. But now, customers can get inspiration on how to reduce their impact as well as how to design their homes.
Photo: An IKEA showroom. Credit: nomadFra / Shutterstock.com