IKEA increases use of FSC certified wood

The flat-pack specialist said that its use of FSC timber went from 22.6% in 2012 to 32.4% in 2013. It released these figures in its recently published ‘People and Planet Positive’ sustainability update.

According to the company, all the wood it uses was sourced from suppliers that meet the IKEA forestry standard.

Elsewhere in its report, the retailer said that it has committed to own 137 wind turbines and installed 550,000 solar panels, taking the company closer to producing more renewable energy than the total energy it uses by 2020.

The firm also announced that the share of cotton from “sustainable sources used in products” more than doubled, increasing from 34% (FY12) to 72% (FY13).

IKEA explained that it sold 22.4m LED products including 12.3m LED bulbs. According to the company, the LED bulbs save each customer €7 in electricity costs per bulb per year compared with incandescent ones.

IKEA Group president Peter Agnefjäll said: “Everyone, including IKEA, has a part to play in tackling the expected shortages of resources and the impacts of climate change while providing people with a good quality of life.

“With our vision of creating ‘a better everyday life for the many people,’ I am convinced there is no other way of doing business than in a sustainable way.”

Chief sustainability officer Steve Howard added: “One year on from the launch of our People & Planet Positive strategy, we are making good progress – more than doubling the amount of cotton we buy from more sustainable sources, investing in renewable energy, and enabling millions of people to live more sustainably at home.

“The 22m LED products we sold during the year show that more sustainable products have great appeal when customers can understand the savings they can make from day one.”

The news about IKEA’s study comes at a time when the retail giant recently published its business 2013 full-year results. It said profit in its 2013 FY rose 3.1% to €3.3bn (£2.7bn), helped by strong growth in China, Russia and the US.

IKEA’s fiscal year runs from September 1 2012 to August 31 2013.

Liz Gyekye