IKEA

Does IKEA make ethical and sustainable furniture?

Owned by Stichting INGKA Foundation, IKEA is unfortunately a below benchmark brand within The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Furniture sector.

As a result of its low score, IKEA furniture cannot be classed as ethical. We still encourage IKEA to apply for Ethical Accreditation even though it has not yet met our minimum Ethical Benchmark. The Good Shopping Guide would provide IKEA with a thorough assessment as well as some recommendations on how it could raise its score on the Furniture Ethical Ratings Table.

To find out how other brands within the Ethical Furniture sector score compared to IKEA, you can visit the Furniture Ethical Ratings Table. Our Ratings Table can help you to learn more about the criteria that a brand has to meet so that it can reach our minimum Ethical Benchmark.

The Good Shopping Guide suggests that all brands follow the example set by our top-rated brands and adopt more ethical practices before applying for Ethical Accreditation.

What does IKEA receive a top rating for?

The Good Shopping Guide is pleased to award IKEA with a top rating for our Environmental Report category.

IKEA has a recent Sustainability Report which addresses issues relating to several areas such as renewable energy, sustainable materials and water efficiency. The report also contains targets for reducing carbon emissions as well as evidence of progress.

What does IKEA receive a bottom rating for?

IKEA receives a bottom rating from The Good Shopping Guide for our Other Criticisms category. Activists are criticising IKEA for its reported push to buy Romanian forests in order to access the country’s wood resources. The New Republic reported that IKEA has become Romania’s “largest private landowner” potentially getting 10% of its timber from Romania.

A Romanian non-profit organisation called Agent Green filed a complaint against IKEA which alleged that it had proof that IKEA was “clear-cutting without a permit”.

What can IKEA do to improve its Ethical Score? 

Furniture brand IKEA’s score within The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Furniture sector is the result of a calculation of multiple ethical criteria.

The Good Shopping Guide recommends that IKEA work on its bottom score for Other Criticisms so that it can see its position rise on the Furniture Ethical Ratings Table.

Even though it currently has a below benchmark score, The Good Shopping Guide encourages IKEA to get in touch and apply for Ethical Accreditation. By doing so, we could offer it some guidance on how to improve and become one of our most ethical furniture brands.

Could your Furniture brand benefit from Ethical Accreditation? The Good Shopping Guide’s Ratings Tables can show you which other brands within the Furniture sector have received our ethics and sustainability certification. If you would like more information, contact us or fill out a rapid initial sustainability assessment form.