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IKEA invests 200 million euros to speed up action to become climate positive by 2030

In connection with COP25, Inter IKEA Group announces the decision to invest 200 million euros to speed up the transformation to become a climate positive business. The investment will focus on two portfolios – one to transform the IKEA supply chain into using renewable energy, and one to remove carbon from the atmosphere through reforestation, restoration of degraded forests and better forest management practices. More than half of the IKEA climate footprint comes from materials in the products and production. “Our ambition is to reduce more greenhouse gas emissions in absolute terms by 2030 than the entire IKEA value chain emits, while growing the IKEA business. To reach this goal, we will continue to invest in areas that create impact. This investment will speed up the transition to using renewable energy across our supply chain and remove carbon from the atmosphere through reforestation and better forest management practices”, says Torbjörn Lööf, CEO at Inter IKEA Group.The first portfolio will support the ambition to use 100% renewable energy (electricity, heating, cooling and other fuels) in production by 2030. It will be built on collaboration with direct suppliers.The second portfolio will invest in projects aimed at removing and storing carbon through reforestation and responsible forest management. Wood is one of the main materials that IKEA uses and for many years IKEA has worked to promote responsible forest management around the world. Responsibly managed forests play a vital role in protecting ecosystems, supporting biodiversity and climate change mitigation. The projects in the second portfolio will be built on collaboration with partners to achieve scale and maximum impact. The projects will consider the wider aspect of land use and include activities to combat deforestation and support restoration of degraded land. According to the IPCC, global greenhouse gas emissions would be heavily reduced if deforestation was stopped. “We believe that the best way to minimise our climate impact and to contribute to limiting climate change to 1.5°C is mainly by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions - but we also need to remove existing carbon from the atmosphere. We can make a positive difference through our integrated supply chain, our global presence and our forest and climate expertise,” says Lena Pripp-Kovac, Chief Sustainability Officer, Inter IKEA Group. “By taking responsibility and working together we can make a true change. We have a long-term perspective and the financial strength to invest in activities that will benefit both the planet and our own business future,” says Torbjörn Lööf. For more information contact: media.franchisor@inter-IKEA.com +31-62-124-0618 Find out more:  IKEA People & Planet Positive strategy sets the direction for all IKEA franchisees and covers three focus areas:Healthy & Sustainable livingCircular & Climate PositiveFair & Equal 

27 Nov 2019

COP25: Why IKEA wants a global definition of Climate positive

Climate change is a visible reality. At IKEA, we are committed to doing our part to limit climate change by transforming our business and become climate positive by 2030. At COP25, IKEA is hosting an event together with WWF as a facilitator, and inviting companies, policymakers, NGOs and other stakeholders to join a discussion to develop a global definition of what "climate positive" means. The IKEA climate footprint and responsibility stretches across the entire lifecycle of our products – from the extraction of materials, the stores and touchpoints where we meet our customers to the use and end-of-life of our products. IKEA is tackling climate change on all levels of the business, across the entire value chain. To become climate positive means reducing more greenhouse gas emissions than our total value chain emits while growing the IKEA business. We will not rely on carbon offsetting to reach this goal. Today “climate positive” is used in many different ways, making it unclear if it leads to the right development to limit climate change to 1.5 C. "IKEA sees the need to set a global standard that is transparent, measurable, and also based on science, so that right actions are taken to limit global warming. At COP25 we are inviting to dialogue with many different stakeholders to enable more companies to become climate positive in a credible way," says Andreas Ahrens, Head of Climate at Inter IKEA Group. The event, “Establishing a Global Definition of Climate Positive” will start with an opening by Torbjörn Lööf, CEO at Inter IKEA Group, the host of the event and a short presentation of the IKEA climate positive ambition and the need for a global definition. WWF as the facilitator will introduce the ambition of establishing a standard and give suggestions for how to take the process forward. Lena Pripp Kovac, Chief Sustainability Officer at Inter IKEA Group will also participate in the discussion and points at our responsibility – and opportunity – to make a positive difference and contribute towards limiting global warming."We need to work together with other companies and organisations to enable that the right technologies are in place, but also that the right policies are in place so that we steer the development in the right way and truly limit global warming to 1.5C." says Lena Pripp-Kovac. COP25 will be held in Madrid, 2–13 December. COP25 event: “Establishing a Global Definition of Climate Positive” IKEA and WWF invites companies, policy makers, NGOs and other stakeholders to join a discussion about what a global definition of "climate positive" should include, grounding the definition in science and transparency and encouraging other companies to join. Torbjörn Lööf, CEO at Inter IKEA Group together with Lena Pripp Kovac, Chief Sustainability Officer will be speaking at the event. When:     10 December, 16:45 -18:15Where:    Room 6, IFEMALead organisers: Inter IKEA Group together with United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

27 Nov 2019

COP25: IKEA joins forces with UN Climate Change to promote climate action

IKEA is committed to taking the lead on climate action and working together with all parts of society to make a positive difference. At COP25 in Madrid, Inter IKEA Group will sign a partnership agreement with UN Climate Change to drive climate action together. “Sustainability can’t be achieved in isolation - collaboration between different parties is key to address climate change. The signing of the partnership with UNFCCC is an important example of this”, says Torbjörn Lööf, CEO Inter IKEA Group.  IKEA has decided to transform into a climate positive and circular business by 2030 – a business built on clean renewable energy and regenerative resources; decoupling material use from growth. “We do this not only because it is our responsibility. We do this because it is an opportunity to continue to grow and reach more people within the limits of the planet. To make this happen we must take action together with others,” says Torbjörn Lööf. The UN Climate Change Conference COP25 will take place under the Presidency of the Government of Chile and held with logistical support from the Government of Spain. The conference is designed to take the next crucial steps in the UN climate change process. The theme of this year “time for action” sets the scene for countries to step up their ambition and commitments in line with the Paris Agreement.  “To address the climate change emergency we collectively face and limit global temperature rise to 1.5C, it is vital that governments and businesses—indeed, all segments of society—urgently scale up their efforts to reduce emissions,” said Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change. “We therefore welcome IKEA’s commitment to science-based emissions targets through the UN Global Compact 1.5 Degree pledge and encourage all companies to do the same.” “Becoming a climate positive business is a transformational change of IKEA. It means rethinking every aspect of how we do business. We have a positive and solution-oriented approach and we are optimistic about the future. We should not underestimate the challenges, but with big challenges comes big opportunities. Together with our co-workers, customers, suppliers and partners, we are determined to use our size and influence to make a positive difference”, says Torbjörn Lööf. 

27 Nov 2019

COP25: IKEA on what climate actions are needed to improve land use

Wood is one of IKEA’s most important raw materials, and an essential part of the IKEA identity. The world’s forests play a crucial role for the climate, and during COP25, IKEA will participate in the panel discussion “Climate action and land use—opportunities and risk” to explore how we together can improve land use and mitigate climate change with a special focus on forestry and agriculture. Wood is an excellent environmental choice, provided that it comes from responsibly managed forests. In the last 12 months, IKEA used around 23 million cubic metres of round wood — almost one percent of the world’s industrial round wood supply. Looking at all IKEA sales, 60% are connected to wood based products. As a large user of wood we believe IKEA has both the ability and the responsibility to be a positive influence on how forests are managed. Our target is that by end of 2020 all wood used in IKEA products will come from more sustainable sources, currently defined as FSC certified or recycled wood. We have a global team of Wood Supply & Forestry specialists working with their boots on the ground, making sure that the wood we use comes from responsibly managed forests. We also partner with global stakeholders to help eliminate forest degradation and deforestation and promote the importance of responsible forest management beyond our own material needs. This way of working we call being Forest Positive. “We believe that to make a difference we need to work together with others. For many years we have partnered with governments, industry, NGOs, and certification systems to improve and make responsible forest management the norm. I’m happy to see that we have been able to both grow our wood business and at the same time fulfill our goals on what we want to achieve,” says Ulf Johansson, Global Wood Supply and Forestry Manager at IKEA Range & Supply. The world’s forests play a crucial role for the climate, especially in climate change mitigation. Agriculture, food production and deforestation are the main drivers of climate change according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). To keep temperature increase to 1.5°C, a major shift towards sustainable land use will be required. IKEA is attending COP25 to share how we are working to become climate positive and discuss how we and other businesses can speed up the global climate movement. During the COP25 panel discussion “Climate action and land use—opportunities and risk”, Ulf Johansson will discuss what governments and businesses can do to improve land use management with a special focus on forestry and agriculture, and the food, materials and fuels they provide. COP25 will be held in Madrid, 2–13 December. COP25 event: “Climate action and land use—opportunities and risk”IKEA, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) jointly invite to an event that will explore what governments and businesses can do to improve land use management with special focus on forestry and agriculture and the food, materials and fuels they provide. Ulf Johansson, Global Wood Supply and Forest Manager at IKEA Range & Supply will be one of the speakers at the event When:     5 December 2019, 12.30-2.00 pm (CET, local time)Where:    Room to be confirmed 

27 Nov 2019