Annual Initiative Celebrates 20th Anniversary by Asking Tough Questions on Flexibility

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA, September 22, 2005 — On the 20th anniversary
of the Working Mother “100 Best Companies,” an exclusive Working Mother magazine survey has found that despite the growing popularity of compressed work weeks, job-shares, telecommuting and other workplace flexibility options, two out of three working mothers believe there is still a stigma attached to using flextime options that their companies allow. IKEA, also celebrating its 20th year in the U.S., is one of the companies working to eliminate this bias by offering its working mother employees not just flexibility, but advancement opportunities as well.

"We salute IKEA for their efforts on behalf of working mothers and for making the ‘100 Best’ list for the third time," said Carol Evans, CEO of Working Mother Media. "It is my hope that other companies around the country learn from the best and experience first-hand the value of flexibility as a business imperative."

Some of the comprehensive benefits for more than 9,500 IKEA U.S. co-workers include:
• All co-workers are eligible for benefits, as well as coverage for domestic partners and their children. This includes hourly co-workers who work less than 20 hours per week. Medical/dental coverage is offered to all co-workers, a rarity for the retail industry.
• Discounts for weight loss and smoking cessation services, as well as free subscriptions to health and wellness magazines.
• Work arrangements including flextime, job share, telecommuting and condensed work weeks. (IKEA recognizes the recent trend for working parents to coordinate their work hours to complement their spouse’s work schedule so one parent is always with the child and the need for childcare services is eliminated.)
• Co-worker quiet rooms, recreation rooms, lactation rooms and a comfortable, family-friendly area for co-workers’ family members to enjoy when visiting, as well as $2 Meal Deal at our Co-worker Café or IKEA Restaurant for all co-worker shifts.
• All co-workers are eligible for two to five weeks of paid vacation per year, based on length of service, and vacation accruals begin on the first day of employment. Co-workers are allowed to carry vacation time over from one year into the next, although IKEA encourages co-workers to take their vacation time every year.
• Paid maternity/paternity leave.
• Tuition assistance for undergraduate and graduate school degrees. Co-workers are eligible for a $1,000 bonus one year after completing their degree.
• Extensive professional development and training programs available to cultivate co-worker talent and advancement, as well as mentoring programs and specialized training in such areas as diversity, health/safety and social and environmental responsibility. IKEA was recognized three years in a row (2003, 2004 and 2005) by Training Magazine in the “Training Top 100” List.

“IKEA is honored to once again to be counted amongst the best companies for working mothers,” said Pernille Lopez, president of IKEA North America, and Working Mother magazine’s 2003 Family Champion. “Our strengths are in the flexibility we offer to all of our co-workers so they can accommodate the needs in their personal lives, and in the number of women we have in managerial level positions as role models for our other working parents. Although we are very pleased to be able to offer a variety of benefits and support for working parents, we believe that it is our values that set us apart. The values that form the basis of the vision for our business are the same that we embrace in our workplace, including respect and caring for each other, for our environment, for our communities and for those in need. Everything we do is all about providing a ‘better everyday life’ for as many people as possible.”

In surveying the companies that applied for this year's list, particular weight was given to questions in three areas: flexible scheduling, the most critical benefit for working mothers; child-care options, because without them parents can't work; and time off for new parents, because it's critical for mothers to bond with their newborns without suffering professionally.

“100 Best” List Methodology: To apply for the Working Mother 100 Best, IKEA provided Working Mother magazine with detailed information about eight areas of work/life including: childcare, culture, flexibility, parental leave, women's advancement, total compensation, work/life culture, and family-friendly programs. IKEA completed a 550-question application, the most rigorous of its kind, which checked the availability, tracking and usage of programs to support working mothers, the accountability of managers to implement programs and the successful advancement of women into top paying jobs, board positions and management ranks. IKEA was also required to submit benefits handbooks and results of employee surveys. The complete list of the Working Mother 100 Best Companies can be found at http://www.workingmother.com.

About IKEA: Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings and accessories of good design and function, at low prices so the majority of the people can afford them. IKEA has been named - for three years in a row - to Working Mother magazine's annual list of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers," and this year to FORTUNE's "100 Best Companies to Work For." IKEA incorporates environmentally friendly efforts into day-to-day business, is recognized as a socially responsible company, and continuously supports initiatives that benefit causes such as children and the environment. IKEA currently has more than 220 stores in 33 countries, including 24 in the U.S., where stores are being planned in: Bolingbrook, IL; Brooklyn, NY; Canton, MI; Dublin, CA; Round Rock, TX; Somerville, MA; Stoughton, MA; and West Sacramento, CA. To visit the IKEA Web site, please go to http://www.IKEA-usa.com. For information about working at IKEA, please visit http://JobsAt.IKEA-usa.com.

About Working Mother: Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches nearly 3 million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. Its 20-year signature initiative, the Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America.