IWitness Global Citizens Program
At IKEA, co-workers are given unique opportunities to grow and develop in their roles. One of these opportunities is the IWitness Global Citizens program. Since 2013, Canadian co-workers are invited to apply for the opportunity to witness first-hand the work that IKEA Foundation’s partners are doing throughout the world. These projects are funded thanks to the efforts of IKEA co-workers from Canada and across the world. So far 21 Canadian co-workers have participated in the program and visited Malawi, Kosovo, Jordan, South Africa, Indonesia and Eswatini to see projects from UNICEF, Save the Children, UNHCR, and Médecins Sans Frontiers.
Our founder, Ingvar Kamprad, was clear about the purpose of the IKEA Foundation. It does not exist to increase sales for IKEA or to build the brand. It is here to make a better life for children and families who are most in need.
He was also clear that he wanted IKEA co-workers to be proud of the work the IKEA Foundation does. It’s only thanks to their efforts that the Foundation can provide funding to their partners who, in turn, work so hard to improve the lives of so many people.
Our 2019/20 Ambassadors
In November 2019, five co-workers from across Canada travelled to Eswatini, a small kingdom south of South Africa to see HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) programs led by Médecins Sans Frontiers (MSF). These two health issues are widespread across Eswatini. Nearly 1 of 3 adults are living with HIV and 80 per cent of people with TB are HIV positive. While many achievements have been made, Eswatini still needs support to fight these infections.
Andrea Dreilich, Communication & Interior Design Manager, IKEA Winnipeg
Andrea Dreilich joined IKEA Winnipeg 7 years ago, as the Communication & Interior Design Manager. She is passionate about inspiring people to “create a better everyday life” though her work. Andrea considers herself privileged to participate in an IWitness trip and is excited for the opportunity to share the insight it will bring into the work of MSF and the IKEA Foundation. She is proud to work for a company that leads business from its purpose and that shares her values for people and planet.
Hayley Chivers-Wilson, People & Culture Generalist, Vancouver Customer Distribution Centre
I joined the IKEA family in 2018 when the Customer Distribution Center (CDC) opened in Vancouver. I am so proud to work for a company that is People and Planet Positive and takes action to help people live a more sustainable, healthy and happy life. It is a beautiful thing when personal values align with a company’s values. It’s not often that an opportunity comes along that will fundamentally change your perception of the world and how you relate to it, but I am ready to share, advocate and have an effective impact by sharing this experience with everyone!
Kevin Henderson, Self-Serve Warehouse, Shopkeeper IKEA Burlington
Kevin Henderson is a Self-Serve Warehouse Shopkeeper at IKEA Burlington with over 19 years in the company. Kevin specializes in Sales, Customer service, and Logistics. A strong believer in the power of positive thinking and developing our mind, body, and soul in all that we do. Kevin takes pleasure in being a new father and husband with his wife Serena, son Joseph, and with another on the way. Kevin enjoys spending time with his family, working around the house, biking, travelling, hiking, swimming, reading, going to the gym and church.
Melissa Mirowski, Sustainability Manager, IKEA Canada
As Country Sustainability Manager for IKEA Canada, I provide strategic and dynamic leadership working through and across the organization to facilitate the delivery of the IKEA Group People & Planet Positive Strategy; enabling the ongoing transformation and growth of the business.
Michael Liberty, Logistics Manager, IKEA Montreal
Mike Liberty has worked for IKEA for close to 9 years and is a Logistics Manager based in Montreal. He enjoys good coffee, spending time with his family, vlogging, music and working on his next entrepreneurial venture to serve people and planet better.
Meet our other IWitness Ambassadors
2015 – Jordan Refugee Camp
Ryan Strauss, IKEA Foundation (formerly IKEA Canada)
In 2015 while working for the Canadian Service Office I had the opportunity to visit the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Jordan as a part of the IWitness programme for a life changing week. I left with one overarching messages - refugees are just like you and me.
Since then I've been passionate about sharing this experience with as many people as possible, working to raise awareness inside the organisation and change the narrative outside. It led me to many presentations and store visits, to Geneva to participate in a global engagement forum alongside the UNHCR Nansen Awards, and three years later it brought on a new opportunity for me both personally and professionally when I made the decision to leave IKEA Canada to join the IKEA Foundation in the Netherlands, in a role where I now oversee strategy for the IWitness programme.
2016 – South Africa
Xiao Chen, IKEA Canada
As an IWitness Global Citizens Program Ambassador in South Africa I had a unique experience. In such a short time I had moments of being profoundly moved to moments of questioning the world around me. What I am left with are feelings of ultimate gratitude for the life that I have, opportunities afforded to me and access for my children to quality education and our good living conditions.
I witnessed the UNICEF team of South Africa work tirelessly to ensure that in partnership with the Department of Health to implement essential nutrition services in under-services communities. The schools we visited in KwaZulu-Natal participate in the nutrition program, 9 million children a day receive a balanced meal at school.
When I think back on this time, I will have fond memories of the people of South Africa. At every school and in every interaction, we were welcomed with big smiles, warmth and curiosity. The children welcomed us with traditional performances of songs and dancing. At the same time, I will never forget the challenges the people in this rural part of South Africa experience every day.
I am proud to work for IKEA, having witnessed first-hand that donations from the IKEA Foundation enables UNICEF to reach the most vulnerable children, in the world’s most inaccessible places. We must not stop our hard work in the stores, in order to reach every child, in every part of the world. The journey must continue.
2017 - Indonesia
Jennifer Hughes, IKEA Canada
When you speak to an IWitness Ambassador after their trip, they all say, “It was life changing!” It’s an experience that impacts them deeply, emotionally and fuels them to want to take action. My life changing moment happened on day two of our trip listening to an elementary school teacher, Teti Atikah, from Tasikmalaya, a remote region six hours north of the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta.
At IKEA, one of our core values is Lead by Example. As an elementary school teacher, Teti received inclusive education training developed by Save the Children Indonesia through a grant from the IKEA Foundation and IKEA’s Soft Toy for Education campaign. Before she received this training, children with disabilities in the village surrounding her school could not go to school because teachers did not know how to teach these children or how to create an inclusive classroom environment for the children to feel safe and comfortable. Many parents didn’t know that school was an option for their children and were often stigmatized and isolated from their communities.
To ensure that more children with disabilities can go to school, Teti is committed to teaching teachers from other schools, at different grades the inclusive education program she received from Save the Children. What a true leader!
Stephanie Singh, IKEA Canada
I have had the privilege to work for IKEA for the past 17 years and I am so proud to work for a company that takes actions to make the world a better place! I participated in an IWitness journey in 2018 to Indonesia where I met some truly beautiful and amazing people. From my experiences on the trip, I gained an even deeper meaning of togetherness and community. The work that is being done by Save the Children is going to impact the children not just today, but for generations to come.
Princess Edralin, IKEA Canada
I joined the IKEA family in 2016 and feel so lucky to be working for a company that shares the same values as me. I’m passionate about people and think it is so important that we each do what we can to break down barriers for more inclusion, support the growth and development of children (our future leaders), and just take care of each other. Being an IWitness Ambassador has allowed me to see first-hand some of the amazing initiatives IKEA has supported in the world and it is an honour to be part of this program.
