Did you know

How much of the world’s industrial wood do we use at IKEA?

The answer is approximately 0.6%

IKEA works tirelessly to ensure that the wood used comes from responsibly managed sources and that it’s used as efficiently as possible.  Across the world, wood has a huge number of different uses.

Approximately half the world’s wood is used each year as wood fuel in the form of charcoal, fuelwood or pellets. The other half is used for so-called industrial roundwood that is turned, among other applications, into paper, packaging and products made of wood.

Making responsible forest management the norm

For IKEA, it’s a pre-requisite that our own share of wood is responsibly sourced. But beyond that, what if we could see our large scale as an opportunity? An opportunity to raise the bar and influence the industry to make responsible forest management the norm across the world. An opportunity to help halt deforestation. An opportunity to support the livelihoods of local communities who depend on forests. 

That is the optimism on which we build our approach to wood and forestry, both within and beyond IKEA. 

Did you know  

How do we verify that wood is responsibly sourced?

IKEA’s suppliers are required to prove they’ve sourced their wood from responsibly managed forests and provide their wood sourcing plans annually. This is verified by internal audits conducted by qualified IKEA specialists. Each audit can include visiting suppliers and entire supply chains e.g. sawmills and forests themselves, checking operations in the production facilities’ log yards, and reviewing documentation. Such audits are conducted regularly. 

Following a risk-based approach, IKEA also uses technology such as anatomy, isotope and DNA analysis to verify the species and origin of wood to ensure it has come from a responsibly managed forest.
 
On top of its own checks, it also requires suppliers to comply with the strictest standards developed by FSC. FSC has its own compliance and verification systems that complement all internal efforts. 

Under no circumstances do we accept wood that fails to meet our critical requirements.

Since 2002, IKEA has partnered closely with WWF in numerous countries around the world to safeguard natural resources and transform business practices for the benefit of people and the planet. By managing and protecting forests, tackling threats such as forest degradation and supporting laws that combat illegal trade in timber, the aim is to ensure forests, and the people that depend on them, have a healthy future. Beyond forestry, IKEA’s work also encompasses cotton, water and climate.

Did you know  

What is FSC certification?

Forests are complex environments on which nature and people depend. They’re places of biological diversity, but also a source of economic income for local people and workers.

The Forest Stewardship Council is a nonprofit organisation that covers more than 150 million hectares of certified forests and is the global benchmark for sustainable forestry. Equally governed by environmental, social, and economic perspectives, FSC helps forest managers, smallholders, and governments ensure thriving forest ecosystems and safeguard the livelihoods of forest communities.

FSC’s forestry standards, linked to a strict chain of custody certification, are a proven solution to fight the climate and biodiversity crises. The FSC logo, found on millions of products worldwide, is the most recognised mark for responsible forestry.

To set these standards, FSC has a democratic and transparent approach that allows all stakeholders, including business and environmental groups, to have their voices heard. So, while it’s true that IKEA has a seat at the table to influence FSC standards, we do so together with 1,100 members who voice their valuable perspectives, ideas and concerns around responsible forest management processes. 

With this approach, we believe FSC is the most credible certification for responsibly sourced wood available.