Celebrating 5 Years of Refugee Workforce Inclusion
Creating a better everyday life, together
At IKEA, we believe everyone deserves to feel at home, no matter who they are or where they come from. We also want to reflect the diversity of the communities where we are present.
Around the world, 100 million people have been forced to flee their homes due to war, conflict or persecution. This number only continues to grow. In Australia, around 20,000 refugees arrive each year, bringing with them a wealth of experience, skills, and cultural richness. Yet despite their motivation to work and contribute to their new communities, many face barriers to employment such as limited local networks to negative stereotypes and a lack of Australian work experience.
In October 2020, we partnered with Community Corporate, a certified refugee inclusion social enterprise, to launch a pilot program offering paid work placements to refugees and people seeking asylum to help overcome these barriers.
Today, the Refugee Workforce Inclusion (RWI) program is a proud part of how we hire, onboard, and grow talent at IKEA Australia as a permanent pillar of our recruitment strategy.
Five Years of Impact
- 270 participants welcomed into IKEA Australia
- Representing 23 cultural backgrounds and speaking 43 languages
- Over 400 buddies have supported onboarding, building inclusive teams and cross-cultural competence
Through the fresh perspectives, transferable skills and experience each participant brings, this program has delivered many mutual benefits to these individuals and IKEA through increased co-worker engagement and pride in an inclusive culture, greater cross-cultural competence, new mentorship skills and deeper cultural connections leading to a better customer experience. We believe employers have an important role to play in actively welcoming refugees and people seeking asylum.
IKEA Australia is honoured to have been recognised for its positive community impact through the program and advocacy efforts:
- Outstanding Partnership Award – Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA)
- Excellence in Social Impact Award – Swedish Australian Chamber of Commerce (SACC)
- DEI Excellence Award – Australian Retailers Association (ARA)
- Private Sector Award - Governor’s Multicultural Awards, South Australia
Looking Ahead
As we celebrate five years of impact, we remain committed to advocating for refugee inclusion in the workplace. We continue to share our learnings and encourage other employers to open doors, because when we do, we unlock potential that benefits us all. All they need is an open door.
Let’s change the way we think
New research from the University of Sydney confirms half of Australian businesses want to hire refugees, yet most don’t.
During World Refugee Week 2023, Community Corporate, IKEA, Woolworths and the University of Sydney Business School participated in an online panel. This explored the evolution of refugee workforce pilot initiatives to become permanent pillars of recruitment.
Three ways to take action
1. If you're an employer
At IKEA, we believe employers have an important role to play in actively welcoming refugees and asylum seekers – and by seeing how their talent and potential, strong mutual benefits can be realised for the individual, businesses, and communities.
If you’re an employer interested in this initiative, watch this short video or contact Refugee Workforce Inclusion Leader Harriet Pope.
2. If you're looking for employment
We believe everyone, including refugees and people seeking asylum, have the right to employment, no matter who we are or where we come from.
If you’re a refugee or person seeking asylum looking for employment, contact Community Corporate.
3. If you're a member of the public
We can all show solidarity and stand with refugees and asylum seekers.
If you're a member of the public, find out 10 ways to show your support with UNHCR Australia.
Social initiatives at IKEA
At IKEA, we’re committed to taking a stand for all refugees. See how we work with refugees across our business below:
