The share of cotton from more sustainable sources used by furniture and home furnishings retailer, Ikea in its products reached 76 per cent and is on track to reach its goal of 100 per cent by August 2015.
Sweden based Ikea Group released its sustainability report for fiscal year 2014, which shows its people & planet positive strategy is on track and delivering good results.
Among its India specific highlights are launching of Mangsidig, a limited collection of handmade textiles developed with social entrepreneurs in India.
Asian Fabrics, a textiles supplier in India, achieved 100 per cent energy independence after installing a 1.5 MW PV array and four turbines that generate 20 MW wind energy.
Jansons, an Ikea textiles supplier based in Erode, Southern India, inspired by Ikea’s People and Planet Positive strategy implemented more than 15 measures.
These include a system to recycle wastewater for printing, a new dyeing process which uses less water, and a way to save energy.
Janson’s have been able to save over 285 MWh of energy and 69 million litres of water through this initiative.
With textiles making up to 70 per cent of the exported volume, Ikea in India associated with WWF and other partners to support over 100,000 cotton farmers in India.
They are helped with skill development, seed selection, harvesting, water management, less use of chemicals & pesticides and marketing.
In India, Ikea currently has 48 suppliers with about 45,000 direct employees and about 400,000 people in the extended supply chain.
During the year, Ikea committed to own a further 87 wind turbines globally, bringing the total to 224, and installed 150,000 solar panels increasing the total to 700,000 worldwide.
Ikea said this takes the company a step closer to producing more renewable energy than the total energy it uses by 2020.
“By the end of 2015, we aim to have invested and are committed to invest €1.5 billion in renewable energy projects,” Ikea added.
The sales value of products for a more sustainable life at home passed €1 billion, a 58 per cent surge when compared with the previous fiscal year.
According to Ikea, these products enable people to save or generate energy, reduce water use, cut waste and live healthier lives.
75 per cent of all lighting products sold at worldwide Ikea stores were LED or compatible with LED bulbs, which use 85 per cent less energy and last 20 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
Ikea saved €66 million through energy efficiency efforts in stores and warehouses since FY10. The retailer is also one of the world’s largest buyers of FSC-certified wood in the retail sector.
41 per cent of its wood was FSC certified or recycled in FY14 and all wood was sourced from suppliers that meet the Ikea forestry standard.
47 per cent of managers at Ikea are women and the Ikea Foundation donated €104 million in 2014 to projects that support millions of children in some of the world’s poorest communities.
