February & March 2022: Ingka Group News

IKEA Hammersmith opening marked the start of a EUR 1.2 billion investment in London to get closer to customers

In February, the doors to IKEA’s first small store in the UK opened in Hammersmith, West London, with the announcement of a EUR 1.2 billion investment into the capital over the next three years. The announcement marks part of a long-term transformation to become more convenient and accessible by bringing IKEA closer to where customers live, shop and socialize. 

The development of the hammersmith store was also enabled by the acquisition of the Kings Mall by Ingka Centres in 2019. Ingka Group and Ingka Centres have been working together on this opening which is the first IKEA small store and the first meeting place in the country, and the first Livat-branded meeting place in Europe.

Taste the Future campaign was announced to attract digital talent to IKEA

In February, IKEA launched a recruitment drive with a twist. The Taste the Future campaign invited innovative data and technology thinkers to an interview over experimental 3D-printed meatballs as part of the new campaign. The campaign focuses on attracting tech talent to the more than 700 open positions part of the digital transformation of IKEA.

COP26 furniture found a second life

As a Partner of COP26, IKEA UK & Ireland had the responsibility to furnish some of the key areas in the COP26 venues where delegates and world leaders sat comfortably on IKEA furniture during the conference.  

Since the conference closed, IKEA UK & Ireland together with Glasgow City Council and the UK Government, have been working collaboratively together to give new homes to the IKEA furniture and home accessories that were used during the conference. In total there were approximately 5,000 individual items of furniture donated and approximately 595,900 people have been impacted by the donations.

H22 City Expo: IKEA invites young creatives to global competition to build a better everyday life

IKEA Retail Sweden and Ingka Group launched a global design competition for young creatives who are commissioned to design affordable and sustainable nature dwellings that fit in the forest.

The participants’ nature dwellings will be built in an artificial forest in the new central district of Oceanhamnen, with a front view of the Öresund in Helsingborg, Sweden, as one of several initiatives that IKEA Retail Sweden and Ingka Group are implementing during the international city fair H22 City Expo, the biggest event for innovation and sustainable urban development in the Nordic region in 2022, happening this summer, from May 30 to July 3.

The IKEA Museum Digital shares explanations of the product names 

Have you ever wondered what the story is with IKEA product names? This month, the IKEA Museum Digital released a short video “Why is it called that” as part of its always open The Story of IKEA online exhibition, which explains it all. 

IKEA Austria installed EV truck at the Graz store

At the IKEA Austria store in Graz, two EV trucks have been installed and used to deliver goods since the beginning of February. The electric vehicles carry out at least 20 emission-free transports per day and thus save around twelve tons of CO2 a year. In combination with electricity from renewable energy, IKEA is making an important contribution toward a more sustainable future.

Young people show how to give textiles a second life at exhibition at IKEA Katowice

The Katowice store in IKEA Poland held an exhibition of handmade creations in a joint initiative with the Youth Centre for Creative Work. Young artists created mascots from used IKEA textiles like curtains, remains of fabric from sofa covers and more. The initiative aims to highlight the IKEA goal to become circular and have a positive impact on the climate.

IKEA Belgium launched the Welcome Home project to support single-parent families

IKEA Belgium announced the results of a survey conducted in Belgium among 1,764 single families with the goal to map the difficulties that these families experience and providing concrete solutions.

The survey showed 1 in 10 families are single-parent families – although this figure is probably an underestimate. Single parents are facing challenges to find decent, comfortable and affordable housing.

To contribute to solutions to the difficulties experienced by single parents, IKEA Belgium has launched the multi-year project “Welcome Home” where the company and its co-workers are committed to facilitating access to decent housing for the most vulnerable single-parent families – more than 200,000 families in Belgium – in order to improve their well-being. 

IKEA Belgium has teamed up with organizations close to the most vulnerable group, such as the Center for General Welfare (CAW) in Flanders and the Fédération des maisons d’accueil et des services d’aide aux sans-abri (AMA) in Brussels and Wallonia. IKEA’s support comes in the form of financial donations to purchase basic furniture for new homes.

IKEA Portugal joined CIG to support victims of domestic violence

For International Women’s Rights Day, IKEA Portugal joined the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (CIG) to support female victims of domestic violence through the initiative ‘Vozes Silenciosas’.

Following the signing of the Pact against Violence and in partnership with the National Support Network for Victims of Domestic Violence (belonging to the CIG), IKEA is now announcing the possibility for the vulnerable to have direct access to job interviews carried out by the team recruitment at IKEA Portugal, as well as the possibility of receiving a package of financial support for their new permanent homes, turning them into comfortable, beautiful and safe spaces.

In addition to this, IKEA Portugal has launched a podcast called Igualmente.

IKEA Australia updated its Domestic & Family Violence paid leave and support policy for co-workers

With domestic and family violence usually manifesting at home, IKEA believes we have a responsibility to help address this critical national issue. That includes educating ourselves on how we can recognise domestic and family violence. This month, IKEA Australia updated its Domestic & Family Violence paid leave and support policy for co-workers to create a safer life at home.

IKEA Australia also announced a major milestone for the IKEA Adelaide microgrid project was reached – the ‘switch on’ of the 1.2 MW rooftop solar PV system, a critical component of what is set to be Australia’s largest grid-connected commercial microgrid of its kind.

IKEA Norway climbs on top of the SHE gender equality index

In Norway, IKEA climbed from last year’s 11th place to the top of the latest edition of the gender equality index released in March by SHE, powered by EY. IKEA Norway scored 98 out of 100 possible points and ended up at the top.

In a survey by NHH, IKEA Norway was also, again, named the highest-ranked company on the Norwegian Innovation Index in the Commercial Innovations category, and the top three in the ranking of social innovations.