Impact Hub Network’s Post

📣 Attention circular foam developers! IKEA and Impact Hub Network are calling all biobased foam producers and polyurethane recyclers out there, to collaborate and incorporate innovation and sustainability, for IKEA to move towards the use of only renewable or recycled materials by 2030. #acceleratechange #circularrubbereconomy #circulareconomy #rubber #ThePowerOfNetworks

Tomorrow: October 25th at 12 pm ET! IKEA and HML will be in conversation online to discuss IKEA’s ambitious sustainability goals and their plans to meet them. Lars-Erik Fridolfsson, head of Fair and Equal, Sustainable Transformation at IKEA, will describe how the company can deliver sustainable product development now and in the future. In conversation, he will discuss how the company will integrate material health with human health, IKEA's plans to decrease their carbon footprint, and what actionable social equity means in manufacturing. Join the conversation> https://lnkd.in/gSm6eKpe #LifeAtHome #IKEA #transparentsupplychain #materialhealth #design #circularity #circulareconomies #lifecycle #materiallifecycle

This week, we're featuring the case "IKEA: Becoming a Circular Business", Matt Wilson and Kerstin Heilgenberg. The case revolves around global furniture giant #IKEA and its intentions to become a circular and climate-positive organization by the year 2030. The Swedish company gained a reputation for selling "throw-away" products with short lifespans, leading to critics questioning IKEA's environmental impact.   As a result, IKEA aimed to create an end-of-life cycle program, known as reverse logistics via international sell-back and leasing programs. However, it was unclear if IKEA was creating a more sustainable business model.   Follow the link in the comments to learn more about the case, another great example of the materials we're excited about publishing more of in #TheFutureWeSee. You can also discover similar cases by using our ESG and SDG tags to search our sustainability case collection. #SDG #Sustainability #furniture #IveyNext #Ivey100 #IveyPublishing

☀ Bright blue skies over IKEA Copenhagen yesterday, for a meeting with colleagues from across the Nordic IKEA world ❤️💙💛 IKEA has a goal of producing zero non-recycled waste in our operations by 2030, and we need to cooperate and learn from each other if we are going to reach that milestone. Accommodating more sorting fractions, better training and communication to coworkers, and managing roles and responsibilities among different teams are all fundamental for success. But we will need even more than that to truly be a zero waste company. How do we team up with innovative recycling and reuse companies, how can we send more materials directly back into our own production streams, and – ultimately – how can we generate less would-be waste to begin with and use our products and packaging as material banks? Great discussions and opportunities for the future. As we always say in IKEA, most things remain undone ⏳ #peopleandplanet #recycling #zerowaste #reuse #ikea

Startup Success Manual : Every week, we'll look at fascinating journeys and winning actions that led businesses there. Ever built furniture and felt like a conquering hero? That's the IKEA effect IKEA is making sustainability an everyday choice for everyone! Did you know small changes in your home can have a big impact on the planet? Malin Pettersson-Beckeman, Sustainability Communication Manager at IKEA, sees sustainable living as an everyday choice which is easy and accessible That's why IKEA is: Designing products with a circular approach - think recyclable and reusable! Offering water-saving solutions and delicious plant-based foods. Working towards 100% renewable energy and zero-emission deliveries. Small actions today a better world tomorrow! What’s your Sustainable Superpower? Share your story and lets create a wave of change together #IKEA #sustainability #livegreen

A circular economy is the way forward! In a world grappling with environmental challenges, the concept of a circular economy has emerged as a promising solution to foster sustainability and reduce the strain on our planet's resources. Unlike the traditional linear economy, which follows the "take, make, use, dispose" model, the circular economy seeks to create a closed-loop system where resources are used efficiently and waste is minimized. At its core, the circular economy is all about keeping products, materials, and resources in circulation for as long as possible. This means designing products that are durable, repairable, and upgradable, so they can be used and reused multiple times. One of the key principles of the circular economy is to reduce waste at every stage of a product's lifecycle. Instead of discarding items after use, the goal is to recover valuable materials and reintegrate them into the production process. For example, a smartphone that's no longer functional can be disassembled, and its components can be repurposed or recycled to create new devices. This approach not only conserves resources but also curtails the need for excessive extraction of raw materials, which often comes with environmental and social consequences. Additionally, a circular economy can significantly diminish greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing the energy required for manufacturing from scratch. I was looking for real-life examples where circular economy has been implemented and I came across IKEA's Furniture Take-Back Program. IKEA launched a program where customers can return their used furniture to the store for resale or recycling. This initiative extends the life of products and reduces the amount of furniture ending up in landfills. Though this process may not be full-proof, it still is a step forward from the usual linear system. #circulareconomy #ikea #sustainability Below is a flow of IKEA’s buy-back process as I understood it:

With its latest initiative, IKEA is addressing the growing sustainability awareness among consumers in Home & DIY #retailing. The new recycling scheme by the retailer is a prime example of how the circular economy is now penetrating many aspects of life.  with consumers looking for ways to conserve the planet's resources and COVID-19 has acted to accelerate the trend. As Mintel Trend Buydeology discusses, consumers are increasingly basing their purchase decisions on a company’s moral/ethical stance. Our throwaway culture is also becoming a contentious issue and as highlighted in Mintel Trend Hungry Planet, consumers are looking for ways to conserve the planet's resources.   Mintel’s Consumer Trends, Attitudes and Spending Habits for the Home – UK, 2023 Report confirms that brands and retailers have the opportunity to communicate sustainability in the home market, as consumers have become more aware about how the culture of consumption impacts their budgets and the environment. Indeed, almost half (49%) of British consumers plan to buy more second-hand products for their home. Moreover, Mintel's Global Outlook on #sustainability 2023 report highlights that more than half (52%) of consumers in the UK agree their behaviour can make a positive difference to the #environment while over four in ten (44%) express that companies can do more than governments to change the world.   Alongside expanding sustainable product ranges, retailers can encourage circular business models including product recycling just as IKEA is doing with its latest move. As a next step, they could offer consumers who return their old products vouchers. These trade-in schemes tap into the trend of circular consumption, and shoppers can feel rewarded for their green efforts. In the current economic climate, any initiative by retailers that would help consumers with their stretched finances is certainly welcome news.  #retail #research #marketresearch #consumerbehavior

Did you know? Two years ago, in 2022, IKEA started gathering coworkers' used workwear across Europe. In Finland, we collected altogether 54 pallets, so a full truckload. Now, after a two-year voyage of innovation and dedication, the VÄXELBRUK collection has made its debut, transforming our former workwear into today's design marvels. This initiative has reshaped our operations, firmly embedding sustainability, innovation, and circular principles into our core. It was an exploration on our journey towards IKEA's goal to operate on circular economy principles and achieve climate positivity by 2030. By the way - can you guess how many different product categories emerged from these recycled textiles? Hint: It stretches far beyond curtains and cushion covers! Pretty amazing, isn’t it! #closetheloop #ikea #peopleandplanet

🌱✨ Embracing Sustainability, Elevating Affordability: The IKEA Model ✨🌍In a marketplace where the balance between #Sustainability and #Affordability is often challenging, IKEA's approach stands as a beacon of #Innovation. By ensuring sustainability is woven into the fabric of their business model, IKEA redefines how companies can uphold environmental responsibility without compromising cost-effectiveness. 🔑 Key Takeaways from IKEA's Strategy: - 🌳 Sustainable Supply Chains: A commitment to responsibly sourced materials and #RenewableEnergy. - 🎯 Ambitious Climate Goals: Challenging traditional operations to become climate positive by 2030. - ⚙️ Streamlined Operations: Leveraging #Technology to reduce costs while maintaining a focus on product longevity and circularity. This is more than a success story; it's a narrative that guides us in the corporate landscape to consider our impact on the planet without forgetting the importance of accessibility. As leaders and changemakers, we're called to be stewards of the #Environment, orchestrators of change, and purveyors of affordable solutions. Let IKEA's journey inspire our strategies, ensuring that a greener, more sustainable future does not remain a luxury, but becomes the norm. Kudos to IKEA for integrating #SustainabilityWithAffordability and setting an example for us all.👏 #CircularEconomy #BusinessSuccess #SustainabilityCompass #ThoughtLeadership 🔗 Dive into the full case study.

Today is an important day for us at #IKEA. We are launching the IKEA Sustainability Report and Climate Report for FY23, which highlight the progress we are making against our commitments. We did a lot in 2023, such as decreasing our climate footprint by 22% in absolute terms compared to baseline FY16, and reducing plastic packaging in consumer goods by 47%. We also strengthen our climate goals in line with the 1.5°C target and the SBTi Net-Zero standard.   In all these big movements, something stood out for me personally. It's the innovations we embraced and the impact they had.   ·      We launched the bio-based glue after nearly ten years of persistent innovation. This is an important first step in the movement to reduce the climate footprint from glue by 30%. ·      Making ceramics from waste materials is a challenge. We collaborated with one of our suppliers and, for the first time, produced brand-new ceramics from scrap materials. The result is our beautiful SILVERSIDA product series. ·      Fibreboard is a key material for IKEA furniture, but one of the biggest challenges is its recyclability. In FY23, we developed a new technology that enables the recyclability of fibreboard and we are now using this technology to produce IKEA products. It has been challenging yet incredibly rewarding work. Read more about the work being done in the report here: https://lnkd.in/esmdmnVz #IKEA #SustainabilityReport #ClimateReport #Innovation #ClimateAction Jon Abrahamsson Ring Dennis Balslev Christina Niemelä Ström Malin Pettersson-Beckeman Lena Julle Andreas Rangel Ahrens Sriram Rajagopal Elisabeth Munck af Rosenschöld Jakob Holmström Kelly McKellogg Swaine Deepti Chaudhary Steven van Leeuwen