IKEA Sustainability Report Shows Progress in the Past Year

People & Planet Positive strategy is moving retail giant towards goals

BURLINGTON, ON, Feb. 10, 2014 /CNW/ - IKEA Group has released its Sustainability Report for fiscal year 2013, outlining the company's progress against its People & Planet Positive strategy. The strategy's ambition is to move the company forward in its commitment to having a positive impact through its business practices. The results of this year's report show many positive developments, specifically in the areas of renewable energy, certified wood, more sustainable cotton and meaningful charitable contributions.

"IKEA Canada is committed to inspire and enable millions of people to live a more sustainable life at home while we pursue our own resource and energy independence and contribute positively to the communities where we conduct our business", says Kerri Molinaro, President, IKEA Canada. "Operating our business in a way that has a positive impact on people and the planet is crucial for us to achieve long term success".

Key Highlights from Global Report:

• Sold 22.4 million LED products at market-leading low prices, including 12.3 million LED bulbs. The LED bulbs alone save each customer $10 in electricity costs per bulb per year compared with incandescent bulbs. Customers will save a combined total of $130 million per year from the LED bulbs sold.
  
  
• IKEA Group has committed to own 137 wind turbines and installed 550,000 solar panels, taking the company closer to producing more renewable energy than the total energy it uses by 2020.
  
  
• IKEA Group is one of the world's largest buyers of FSC-certified wood in the retail sector, and almost 1/3 of its wood was FSC certified or recycled in FY13. All wood was sourced from suppliers that meet the IKEA forestry standard.
  
  
• The share of cotton from more sustainable sources (including Better Cotton Initiative) used in products more than doubled, increasing from 34% (FY12) to 72% (FY13).
  
  
• The IKEA Foundation donated $150 million in 2013 to projects that support millions of children in some of the world's poorest communities, a 21% increase from 2012.

"One year on from the launch of our People & Planet Positive strategy, we are making good progress - more than doubling the amount of cotton we buy from more sustainable sources, investing in renewable energy, and enabling millions of people to live more sustainably at home. The 22 million LED products we sold during the year show that more sustainable products have great appeal, especially when customers understand the savings they can capture from day one," said Steve Howard, Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA Group.

Key Canadian FY13 Highlights:

• Established a supply chain arrangement for all IKEA Canada stores to source 100% recycled content paper products that are produced from the recycled paper and cardboard collected in IKEA Canada stores.
  
  
• Celebrated 17^th year in partnership with Tree Canada with IKEA co-workers having planted almost 25,000 trees since 1997.
  
  
• Two Canadian co-workers travelled to Malawi as part of the inaugural IKEA iWitness Global Citizens program to experience first-hand numerous UNICEF educational programs funded by the IKEA Foundation through the annual IKEA "Soft Toys for Education" campaign.
  
  
• Contributed to Alberta flood recovery efforts with a product donation of $130,000 CAD to Salvation Army and Save The Children to support three communities that were among the most affected.
  
  

The IKEA Sustainability Report FY13 is available at http://www.IKEA.ca/PeopleAndPlanet (or under About IKEA > People & Planet > Find out more).

About IKEA Canada
IKEA is a leading home furnishings retailer with 342 stores in 42 countries worldwide, which are visited by 776 million people every year. IKEA Canada has 12 stores which are visited by over 25 million people every year. Last year the IKEA.com websites attracted 1.1 billion visitors. Founded in 1943, IKEA's business philosophy is to offer a wide range of products of good design and function at prices so low, the majority of people can afford them. For more information on IKEA, please visit: www.IKEA.ca.

SOURCE: IKEA Canada