Wood and forestry
We love working with wood. It’s a fantastic material: beautiful, durable and long-lasting. And it can be used in lots of different ways. On top of that, it’s renewable and possible to recycle and, when it comes from responsibly managed forests, can help mitigate climate change. It’s also part of our Scandinavian design heritage and has always played a central role in the IKEA range of home furnishing products. After all, IKEA was born in the forests of southern Sweden. You might even say that the IKEA story was built on a foundation made of wood.
“Our forests are mankind’s greatest asset.”
Forests are critical for life on our planet, supporting the climate, biodiversity, health, water and livelihoods. They purify the air that we breathe, help maintain balance in the atmosphere and provide shelter for plants and wildlife. These vital ecosystems clean the water that we drink and provide sources of food, fuel and timber. Hundreds of millions of people living close to or in the forest depend heavily on them for their livelihoods and many millions more work within the forestry sector. For the future of our business and the planet, we want to utilise this valuable resource as efficiently as possible.
Our forest agenda
Beyond our own operations and value chain, IKEA is also committed to using its size, scale and reach to help halt deforestation and to make responsible forest management and wood sourcing the norm across the world. Our forest agenda 2030 outlines how we can achieve this:
- We secure the forests are managed responsibly.
- We contribute to mitigating climate impact while enhancing biodiversity.
- We collaborate to improve forest management.
- We utilize wood efficiently.
Responsibly managed
We ensure that the forests we source from or own are responsibly managed. We have strict requirements and control systems – both for the sourcing of wood for IKEA, and for the forests owned by companies under the IKEA brand. We aim to build greater awareness for our customers, increase transparency around the wood use, and hopefully encourage others to do the same.
Our focus
- To ensure that our suppliers and the forests owned by companies under the IKEA brand comply with legal requirements and IWAY, the IKEA supplier code of conduct.
- To, (at a minimum), comply with the strictest standards developed by credible, global third-party certification systems, like FSC®.
- To be transparent about our forestry policies and practices, the volumes and origins of the wood we use and the forests we own.
The wood we use
The wood used in IKEA products comes from many locations around the world. Our global wood map allows you to learn where it grows and how much we use, as well as the types of wood our suppliers source and other relevant facts.
How does IKEA make sure its wood is responsibly sourced?
To ensure all our wood comes from responsibly managed forests, we have developed a comprehensive control system. Using Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified wood provides additional assurance that the wood we use is responsibly sourced and doesn't contribute to deforestation.
Mitigating climate impact and enhancing biodiversity
We invest in reforesting degraded landscapes to enhance biodiversity and carbon sequestration, and to support the livelihoods of local communities.
Our focus
- To ensure that the wood used in IKEA products is sourced from responsibly managed forests and does not contribute to deforestation.
- To make investments in forestry and other land-use activities that contribute to restoration of degraded lands and the removal and storage of carbon.
- To invest in the development of innovative forest management practices, such as climate and biodiversity-smart forestry.
- Today, wood sourced for IKEA products is already deforestation-free, as a result of our comprehensive control system which includes using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood. By FY30, our primary deforestation-linked commodities, sourced by the IKEA business, shall be free from links to deforestation, forest degradation, and the conversion of natural ecosystems. Primary deforestation-linked commodities for the IKEA business include wood and the following agricultural raw materials: soy, palm oil, beef, leather, coffee, cocoa, rubber and sugarcane[1]go to footnote 1.
Taking action to protect biodiversity
Biodiversity is vital for a healthy and resilient world, and for human health and wellbeing. By enforcing responsible sourcing practices for the materials which enter our supply chain and investing in development of innovative forest management practices, we can contribute to enhancing biodiversity globally as well as locally.
Climate and nature-oriented forest management
Adapting forest management practices and restoring degraded areas are important measures to mitigate climate change impacts and strengthen forest resilience.
Collaborating to drive change
We want to improve forest management standards, make responsible forest management the norm across the world, and support the rights and needs of people across the supply chain.
Our focus
- To lead projects and collaborate with others to enhance biodiversity and support the rights and needs of people who depend on forests across the wood supply chain.
- To contribute to improving forest management standards by participating in global, regional and national multi-stakeholder processes, such as those led by FSC.
Going beyond our business
As a retailer and user of wood, we believe in using our size and global reach to drive change in the forestry industry.
Joining forces for the forest
For many years, we have collaborated with strategic partners to strengthen and conserve the world’s forests. Our largest forest partnership is with WWF. Working side-by-side for over twenty years, our global partnership has been instrumental in increasing transparency across wood supply chains and improving forest management practices.
Efficiently used
We are continually improving our processes and investing in innovation so we can use wood more efficiently and increase the share of recycled wood in our products. Wood is an important renewable material, and its responsible use supports our efforts to minimize the impacts of climate change.
Our focus
- To design all our products with circular capabilities, so they can be reused, refurbished, remanufactured and eventually – after all other possibilities have been explored – recycled. This means aiming to use only renewable and recycled materials and providing new solutions for our customers to prolong the life of products and materials.
- To significantly increase the amount of recycled content in IKEA products. By 2030, at least one-third of the IKEA wood-based range will be made from recycled wood and 80% of our particle board.
Design and innovation
One of the wonderful things about wood is that there are so many ways you can use it. We’re always looking for smarter, more efficient ways to make the most of the wood we use and lead development in the home furnishing industry.
Recycling wood
Wood is an important renewable material, and when we use it responsibly and efficiently, it supports our efforts to minimise the impacts of climate change. We are exploring how to create circular products so they can be reused, refurbished, remanufactured and eventually – after all other possibilities have been explored – recycled. At the same time, we are doing our best to increase the amount of recycled wood in our products to reduce the dependency on virgin wood.
[1] Commodities and products in scope of the European Union Deforestation free Regulation will meet the corresponding timelines.