Ikea, the world's largest home furnishing retailer, has introduced a Sustainability Product Score card to help the company with product development and purchasing using a range of environmental impact criteria.
The announcement was part of Ikea's 2010 Sustainability Report, published this week. Other highlights from 2010 include the increased use of certified wood-- 23.6%, up from 16.2% in 2009. And it more than doubled its use of sustainable cotton year-over-year to 13.4%. Over 80,000 farmers in India and Pakistan are farming organically because of Ikea's purchases.
On the downside, Ikea's building emissions per product sold rose 30% because they chose not to renew renewable energy contracts in Europe because of high prices.
They are focused on increasing on-site renewable energy instead with a goal of using 100% renewable energy. In 2010, they doubled the number of rooftop solar systems, which are now on 17 stores. The goal is to have 40 buildings powered by solar by the end of this year, and eventually on about 150 stores and distribution centers across its world market.
In the U.S., solar panels are going up on stores in California, Arizona, New Jersey and Massachusetts. It has plans for eight stores in California, and has operating systems in Brooklyn, N.Y., Pittsburgh, PA, and Tempe, AZ. It has solar water heating systems in Charlotte, NC, Draper, UT, Orlando, FL. and Tampa, FL. A store in Centennial, CO will have a geothermal system.
It's also increasing investments in wind - 52 turbines in France and Germany will supply 10% of its FY09 electricity demand. And its planning to build a wind farm in Sweden that will supply electricity to all 17 stores there.
In the US this year, Ikea announced it will begin phasing out the sale of all incandescent light bulbs.
Read the report:
