IKEA Sustainability - SustainabilityTracker.com

Sustainable food

Research has shown that 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock production, therefore it is our ambition to reduce the number of meatballs we sell globally, in an effort to reduce the climate footprint of the IKEA food business. By adding the plant ball as the fifth member of the IKEA meatball family we want to enable and inspire our customers to choose a delicious and more sustainable option at an affordable price. We want more sustainable food to be available and affordable for the many – not the few.

Sustainable sorbet

Following the launch and success of the veggie hot dog and plant ball, we launched a new plant-based sorbet in time for summer in January 2021. The new version is fruit-based, made with strawberry puree, but has the same soft texture as the original dairy offering. This was the latest step taken towards making healthy and sustainable food more affordable and desirable for the many people, with more plant-based and healthier food options being rolled out in a phased approach in IKEA restaurants and Swedish food markets in the coming years.

Food waste

To do our part and reduce food waste, in March 2021, we introduced the Food Waste Watcher Initiative, which uses digital technology to identify, measure, report and analyse the food production waste in all 10 of our IKEA Australia stores. The new technology has been installed in the restaurant and bistro sections of the store, with the restaurant Waste Watcher AI equipped with a scale and AI camera, to be able to automatically identify the food waste. While in the bistro, a Waste Watcher Tablet is available. Both solutions provide IKEA with feedback on the cost of the food waste and the effect on the environment, with the data collected more accurate than when gathered manually, providing a deeper understanding as to why food is wasted. This makes it possible for us to adapt our ways of working and contribute to a more sustainable use of resources.

Water saving

Australia has experienced a prolonged period of below average rainfall spanning several years, with extended droughts affecting the country. Therefore, we want to help our customers conserve our most precious resource, water, by creating products that conserve water in every room of the house. In the kitchen, our water saving tap range reduces water consumption by up to 40%, while our bathroom taps reduce consumption by up to 50%. We’ve also improved the water efficiency of many of our dishwashers and washing machines and have added a range of sink accessories that help save water while doing dishes by hand. In the bathroom, more of our showers are equipped with water and energy-efficient showerheads and hand-held showers. Each has a flow regulator, which reduces the water flow, allowing you to save up to 30% water and energy, when compared to a shower without a flow regulator.

Waste

Every household can prevent and recycle waste. Materials like plastic, paper and metal can have a new life after recycling, and turn what would have been waste into a resource. We encourage all of you to see unwanted items as valuable resources for new materials and products, not waste to be thrown away. However, we know that sorting and storing them can be frustrating, which is why we’ve created products with more sustainable materials like our HÅLLBAR bins, designed to meet different waste sorting needs. This bin is perfect for sorting things like cardboard, plastic, paper, bottles, glass, tin cans and batteries – a simple action and the first step towards giving waste a new life. Preventing food waste can be easy – if you know how. Every year, around one-third of all food produced in the world goes to waste. We’ve researched households in different parts of the world and found the biggest challenges people experience are a lack of know-how on food storage, a shortage of space, and a lack of good food storage systems. We’re using these findings to build our existing food storage solutions, such as our IKEA 365+ containers, and to develop more products that will enable each of us to prevent food waste by keeping things fresher for longer.

Saving energy

For many people, energy is the biggest household expense. That’s why many of our products are designed to help manage energy use, with the aim to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions. By using IKEA products, such as induction hobs, energy-efficient appliances and ‘cold start’ mixer taps, we can dramatically reduce our energy consumption. Other products to consider are our LED bulbs, which use up to 85% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last up to 20 years. While rugs and curtains can also provide insulation to floors, doors and windows, where homes lose heat – insulating them easily. All non-rechargeable alkaline batteries will also be removed from the global home furnishing range, in an effort to inspire consumers who need to frequently use batteries to make a switch to rechargeable batteries.

The IKEA Clean Energy Transformation Project

In October 2020, IKEA Australia launched an Australia-first clean energy storage initiative, which supports the South Australian power grid, in addition to powering the IKEA Adelaide store. The project will help us achieve three goals in our sustainability agenda including: Being powered by 100% clean energy. Transitioning our delivery fleet to 100% zero-emissions. Inspiring our customers in joining a clean energy movement.

Home solar

SOLSTRÅLE, our home solar offering, was launched one year ago in partnership with Solargain, with an aim to lower barriers and simplify the purchase of a renewable energy solution for homes, as for IKEA, we believe that in order to address climate change and develop a truly circular economy, we must accelerate the transition to affordable renewable energy by involving the many people.

Electric vehicle charging stations

IKEA Australia is on a journey to ensure the most responsible and sustainable mode of transport is secured across its entire fulfilment network. In partnership with the Queensland Government, IKEA Logan and North Lakes introduced new electric vehicle charging stations for customers and co-workers in February 2021.

More sustainable wood

Because wood is so important to IKEA, we work together with the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) to take care of the world’s forests through responsible forest management – making sure we have forests for all, forever. We decided many years ago to work with the highest available standards in the industry for improving responsible forest management around the world. Today, our wood is either FSC certified or from recycled sources.

100% committed to sustainable cotton

Since September 1, 2015, all the cotton we use for IKEA products comes from more sustainable sources. All IKEA cotton is either recycled or grown with less water and pesticides while increasing profits for the cotton farmers. Choosing sustainable cotton means you’re teaming up with us to create a better quality of life for the farmers’ families – from increased access to clean water to schooling for their children.

We want all our rugs to be made from sustainable wool

IKEA wants to have a positive impact on people, animals and the planet, that’s why we’re on a journey to transform all the wool we use in our products to 100% Responsibly Sourced Wool. We will do this by sourcing wool which follows the ‘Responsible Wool Standard’ (RWS) guideline, meaning that the wool only comes from sheep that are treated with respect, and the land where they eat and rest is managed responsibly.

From pre-loved to re-loved: we’re giving IKEA furniture a second life

With our buy back and resell service it’s never been easier to re-use, recycle and reduce. Simply fill out a form online to get a quote on your old IKEA furniture. Then bring it to your nearest IKEA store where one of our co-workers will check its condition and confirm the final valuation, which can be as high as 50% of the original value. In return, you get IKEA credit to spend on something you need or love.

A circular IKEA – making the things we love last longer

Every day IKEA explores new ways to make circularity – the elimination of waste and continual use of resources – more convenient and relevant for you. We are constantly working towards helping you waste less time, money and effort by prolonging the life of the products you buy and how you buy them. For example, we are testing the potential for more circular solutions such as furniture leasing, take-back and buy-back schemes, and helping customers repair, reuse and recycle old furniture or give it a second life through reselling.

IKEA Sustainability Actions