IKEA for Business

IKEA products for environmentally certified buildings  

Many IKEA products are approved for use in environmentally certified buildings. If our customers want to buy products that meet the requirements of environmental certification schemes for buildings, they can get information on which products are already approved, and even request to have a product added to the certification schemes‘ list if desired. For example, for the HPP and SCDP databases of the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, information would be submitted to the Environment Agency of Iceland in accordance with the applicable building standards (new buildings and renovations) and can then be used in projects that work according to those standards without the product being Nordic Swan Ecolabel certified.  

IKEA products do not generally have certification marks for sustainability or quality, as some manufacturers offer. The size of the IKEA brand and its international locations are the main reasons, since almost all certification schemes are local to one continent or even a smaller geographical area, such as the Nordic Swan, which we know well here in Iceland. Altogether there are about 350 sustainability certification marks in the world, and of these, over 230 could cover the operations of the IKEA brand.  

The ideology of IKEA is that the brand is a quality mark in its own right, with products undergoing a rigorous process of sustainability, quality and safety requirements on par with those on which certification labels are based. However, IKEA is far from taking a stand against certifications and relies heavily on so-called B2B certifications for its raw material suppliers, such as FSC for wood products and MSC and ASC for seafood.  

Products that promote sustainability  

 Most IKEA products contribute to sustainability in one way or another. We’re working towards a circular business where our planet‘s virgin resources are not the basis of our operations. By reducing the use of raw materials without compromising quality, using recycled materials such as plastic or wood, designing furniture that’s easy to reuse and recycle, and strictly limiting the materials allowed in production, we’re moving closer to this business model. Our products are designed and produced by people who rely on fair, meaningful and decent work that supports their cultures and origins. Among the white-painted chests of drawers we find colourful and creative products, some of which strengthen or preserve the cultural heritage of the artisans behind them and adorn millions of homes and businesses around the world. IKEA monitors its suppliers worldwide to ensure that they meet the strict requirements set out in the IWAY supplier standard, thus enabling us to partner with like-minded companies. Sustainability is not simple, but IKEA strives to find as many ways as possible to promote sustainability in its value chain. That’s why it’s been easy to get our products approved by environmental and sustainability certification schemes for buildings.