Construction Magazine May 2017 | Page 13

IKEA guiding principles to ensure that products and suppliers are in the best interest of our customers , our workers and the environment .
We work with our suppliers to produce products in the most sustainable way and are committed to helping them to operate more efficiently where possible . For example , we are investing in two full time sustainability compliance auditors who will ensure we continue to improve and can measure our impact .
IKEA has achieved zero waste sent to landfill in 2016 – how does the company seek to expand its sustainability efforts ?
Sustainability – caring for people and planet is at the core of our business values and we continually work towards achieving more sustainable operations and lifestyle for our co-workers and customers .
Globally , we aim to produce as much renewable energy as the energy we use in our operations by 2020 . We ’ re also working towards producing products with more sustainable materials . For example , by 2020 we hope to source 100 percent of our wood from more sustainable sources .
The biggest shift will be to move towards becoming a circular business , where we use our waste as resource , and help customers mend , repair and re-imagine their furniture , while potentially leasing rather than owning our products .
What is the vision over the next 12 months ? Over the next twelve months we will continue the embedding and integration of our sustainability commitments across all expansion projects , with a focus on sustainable travel , local community impact , and our exciting leading sustainable store in Greenwich , London . We will put a big focus on co-worker engagement and competence development and ensure we build cross-functional ownership and participation across all layers of the business . We will continue to highlight our sustainable living range , alongside piloting circular services .
With our ten-year vision for having a positive impact in society and being a leading responsible business in sharp focus , we will stretch ourselves further to understand how we can be truly net positive for the long term .
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