Great opportunity to turn a corner on climate change

IKEA is committed to becoming climate positive by 2030, by reducing more greenhouse emissions than the value chain emits, while growing the IKEA Business. On Thursday, 3 June, Pia Heidenmark Cook, Chief Sustainability Officer, Ingka Group, joined other business leaders, policy makers, NGOs and investors at the global Reuters Responsible Business 2021 event to talk about how Ingka Group is taking action to tackle climate change and the need for others to step up to reach a net zero society. 

Responsible Business 2021 is a global virtual event convening 5,000+ CEOs, Policymakers, Chief Sustainability Officers, NGOs and Investors who are driving change worldwide. Voices from across the world share strategies and solutions on how business can innovate, invest, and collaborate to lead the sustainability transition. 

Guided by its vision to create a better everyday life for the many people, IKEA sees tackling climate change both as a big responsibility and an opportunity, and not least as crucial to future-proof its business. In her speech at the Responsible Business 2021 event, Pia emphasised that IKEA is committed to the Paris Agreement and to contribute to limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, including commitment to become net-zero latest 2050. By going beyond IKEA, contributing to further reducing greenhouse gas emissions in society, IKEA will reduce more greenhouse gas emissions than the value chain emits – and become climate positive. 

“We’re already on this journey, and as we are implementing actions and solutions, we’re also learning along the way. But we can only come so far alone. We need to address this from a systemic level to support a broader transition to a net-zero society. Now is a critical time for collaboration and engagement across sectors and with COP26 coming up in November, we have a great opportunity to turn a corner on climate change”, says Pia. 

During the event, Pia pointed out that we all need to collectively step up – businesses, governments and individuals. To drive collective action across sectors, and within the retail sector specifically, Ingka Group:

• Is a member of the UK Net Zero Roadmap for Retail developed by the British Retail Consortium. 
• Has endorsed the Marrakesh Partnership for Global Climate Action Pathway for the retail sector.
• Is forming the Race to Zero Breakthrough Retail Campaign, together with other leading retailers, to create a climate action movement within the retail sector, by engaging retail associations in key markets. 
• Is going beyond the retail sector to collaborate with others, such as the WEF Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, co-chaired by Ingka Group CEO Jesper Brodin, or in working groups around net zero and carbon removal. 

“Let’s accelerate our action! We have it in our own hands to transition to net zero, create a fair and equal society and economy and jobs now and for next generations!”

Reuters Events: Responsible Business 2021, 1 - 3 June, 2021 

For further information, journalists and media professionals can contact us at press.office@ingka.com or by calling +46 70 993 6376

Ingka Group (Ingka Holding B.V. and its controlled entities) is one of 12 different groups of companies that own and operate IKEA retail under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Ingka Group has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. Ingka Group is a strategic partner in the IKEA franchise system, operating 389 IKEA stores in 32 countries. These IKEA stores had 706 million visits during FY20 and 3.6 billion visits to IKEA.com. Ingka Group operates business under the IKEA vision - to create a better everyday life for the many people by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible can afford it.