The Ikea Group today announced a new sustainability strategy dubbed People & Planet Positive. The environmentally friendly game plan is part of Ikea’s long-term growth direction and builds on the company’s history of actions taken in support of sustainability by outlining a new set of goals and plans up to 2020, the retailer said.

People & Planet Positive has three key focus areas:

• Enabling people to live a more sustainable life at home. The company will stock products and develop solutions that help customers save money by using less energy and water and generating less waste. Examples include converting all lighting to LED products that last for 20 years and use up to 85% less electricity; offering the most energy efficient home appliances available at the lowest price; and creating inexpensive, functional and easy to use solutions for sorting and minimizing waste, and using less water at home.
• Becoming energy and resource independent. The effort includes producing as much renewable energy as is consumed in Ikea Group stores and structures, as well as adding to the $1.8 billion allocated to wind and solar projects. It also includes improving the energy efficiency in Ikea operations by at least 20% and encouraging suppliers to do likewise. The company will make Ikea-brand items more sustainable by ensuring all main product materials and packaging, are renewable, recyclable or recycled.
• Taking the lead in creating a better life for the people and communities. Ikea will support the development of good places to work throughout its supply chain, encouraging suppliers to not only focus on compliance but also shared values. The initiative also includes going beyond the immediate reach of the supply chain and helping to support human rights.

 “We want to create a better every day for the many people. A better life includes living more sustainably. We have been working towards that goal for many years and have already done a lot, and we are now ready to take the next big step. People & Planet Positive will help us to do that, transforming our business and having an even greater positive impact on the world,” said Mikael Ohlsson, president and CEO, Ikea Group.