The IKEA supplier code of conduct since 2000
Towards a better everyday with IWAY
Since 2000, IWAY has been at the heart of the IKEA responsible sourcing journey. Over the last 25 years, it has grown and adapted to meet the changing social and environmental challenges we face, helping to drive our efforts throughout the entire value chain. As our business and the world around us continue to evolve, IWAY will keep growing too, always striving to support responsible sourcing practices.
A unique vision
Well-designed furniture that would be affordable for the many. That was IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad’s vision for what his small company IKEA could one day become. As business grew, and IKEA became a household name across the globe, challenges started to arise. But how could they be resolved in a way that continued pushing the company forward, while supporting people at every step in the value chain?
The first challenge
Chemicals, such as the common bleach chlorine used to make paper and PVC, were widely used across many industries. IKEA started to be challenged for the chemicals and plastic used in some products. The company reacted quickly to remove these risks and set up a laboratory to test the safety of products.
A quick response
Russel Johnson, our first Environmental Manager, and some other co-workers at IKEA developed the first environmental policy. The idea was to learn to work proactively and deal with challenges before they became problems.
The next challenge
Much like the work we had begun on addressing our environmental impact, we wanted to make sure people in our supply chain were well-treated, too. We started to gain awareness about the complex issue of child labour and began our work to ensure that our products were produced under appropriate conditions.
Finding the solution
In 2000, we launched IWAY – our supplier code of conduct. Based on United Nations and International Labour Organisation conventions, IWAY sets out clearly what we expect from suppliers and where we stand on children’s rights, working conditions, forestry and the environment.
A busy decade for IWAY!
In 2005, IWAY focused on setting social and environmental standards for IKEA transport providers. Between 2005–2008, we addressed wastewater discharges across South Asian textile suppliers. By 2012, IWAY expanded to indirect materials and services. From 2012–2015, we focused on enhancing working hours for all workers at our suppliers in China. A decade bustling with progress!
A total system upgrade
In September 2020 we introduced the 6th edition of IWAY, which brought a system upgrade through improved ways of working as well as new topics, such as biodiversity and conservation of natural resources, animal welfare, an increased focus on the competence development of workers, and supporting suppliers to achieve the best possible results.
IWAY for digital platform workers in the gig economy
The world of digital platform work is constantly evolving, so in 2021 we addressed this new form of work in the IKEA value chain by introducing the IWAY ‘Digital Platform Work’ Section. It defines minimum social and working conditions for all digital platform workers that perform services for, or on behalf of, IKEA.
Forest materials
Forestry requirements have been in place in IWAY since the first edition launched in 2000. These requirements were revised in 2023 in line with the IKEA forest agenda and new legislation.
From the fields to the ocean
There is always more work to be done! In 2024, we continued strengthening our responsible sourcing approach across the value chain with new IWAY requirements that address seafarers’ rights, animal welfare, as well as social and environmental aspects in agriculture.
2025 and beyond!
At IKEA we believe that what’s good for people, society, and the planet is good for the business. IWAY contributes to building a strong foundation for the IKEA value chain and continual development for us and our suppliers – a contribution we will keep improving and building upon at every step in the value chain. This means we are taking IWAY further down the IKEA value chain, to the sub-suppliers of our direct suppliers and all the way to the source of raw materials. We are committed to this journey and are working together with our supply partners, IKEA teams and other external stakeholders.