CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Environmental initiatives are nothing new for furniture maker and Top 100 retailer Ikea U.S.
The U.S. division of the Swedish furniture brand has committed itself to sustainable forestry, has installed solar and has initiated a buyback program to keep product out of landfills, among other efforts.
Its latest is a drive toward adding more electric vehicle charging stations at its stores. Steven Moelk, fulfillment project implementation manager, zero emission delivery, told Furniture Today that Ikea currently has 322 EV charging stations across 54 properties with a plan to install a total of 500 public fast chargers and more than 300 fleet chargers in the coming years.
“Ikea has ambitious electrification goals to encourage more sustainable transportation: to reduce relative greenhouse gas emissions from customer and co-worker travel and home deliveries by 40% per person by 2030,” Moelk said. “Having EV charging stations at our stores is just one of the ways Ikea U.S. hopes to reach our goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least half across the Ikea value chain and striving towards 100% renewable energy by 2030.”
Moelk said, as the White House made an investment in decarbonizing the U.S. transportation sector recently, Ikea took it as the right time to redouble its efforts.
“Not only does this effort align with our own climate ambitions, but as a recent consumer reports study said, a third of Americans are interested in buying an electric vehicle in the coming years,” he said. “With this shift, it’s crucial that retailers like Ikea do their part to expand public EV charging infrastructure to provide consumers with charging options.”
Ikea is taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint in the US to help reach its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least half across the Ikea value chain by 2030. Highlights include:
- The Buy Back & Resell service – where Ikea buys back its Family members’ gently used Ikea furniture in exchange for Ikea store credit – is offered year-round at nearly every store in the U.S. and online.
- In 2023, Ikea launched solar installation projects (solar car parks and battery energy storage systems at units across the country) and a large-scale renewable heating and cooling project to eliminate fossil fuels from its operations.
- It currently operates zero emission last-mile deliveries in New York City, the Los Angeles market, and 16 other markets with more to come.
- Ikea offers a variety of healthy and more sustainable food choices, such as veggie balls, plant balls and most recently offered plant-based hot dogs.
- Every other year, Ikea hosts One Home, One Planet, an action-oriented event that brings together purpose-driven, ideas-led doers, thinkers and influencers from across different sustainability fields to create actionable change.
Moelk said the EV station initiative and Ikea’s other efforts are part of a bigger picture.
“Sustainability and living a green lifestyle cannot be a luxury for the few. We’re committed to making healthy and sustainable living a desirable choice that is affordable and accessible for as many people as possible. Our planet is our home, and now more than ever we all need to do our part to tackle climate change.”