IKEA Canada builds sustainability into every piece

There are plenty of things that make Geoffrey Macdonald, CFO of IKEA Canada, proud to be a local leader of the global home furnishing giant. The key for him, he says, is the company’s “commitment to making a better everyday life for the many people — those who work for us and those we interact with.”

Sustainability is a central facet of that mandate. And for Macdonald, that has yielded some very personal rewards. “When I share with my two eco-minded teenage daughters the things IKEA is focused on, including sustainability, they have a sense of pride that their dad works at a company that cares,” he says.

“It’s super-important for me to have a positive impact from a professional perspective, but also act as a good role model for my kids. They get to see that there is hope.”

IKEA Canada's sustainability goals are ambitious. On the global level, the company is committed to accelerating its climate actions by 2030, which means cutting its greenhouse gas emissions in half across the IKEA value chain. And it aims for net-zero emissions by 2050. Since 2016, the organization has grown substantially around the world while reducing its climate footprint by more than 30 per cent.

There are a myriad of initiatives in place to reach those milestones. In Canada, EV charging is available for customers and co-workers at 14 of the company’s stores. “We have also invested significantly in EV chargers for trucks,” says Macdonald. “In December 2024, IKEA Canada made 38 per cent of all home deliveries by EV, and it is our ambition to reach 64 per cent by August 2025.”

Meanwhile, the organization operates two wind farms in Alberta and has rooftop solar installations on more than half of its stores. It also has a “sell-back” program whereby customers can bring eligible, gently used IKEA items they no longer want back to stores, receiving a retail credit while making those products available to buyers looking for a deal through its “as-is” marketplace.

Macdonald notes that all IKEA Canada employees are tasked with sustainability, “because it’s a core value in every aspect of our business. For every team member, whether part- or full-time, it’s embedded. And that really helps generate the concerted effort we need to achieve our goals.”

Marjorie Skinner, a service execution team leader at IKEA Canada’s Burlington, Ont. store, says being part of the IKEA social and environmental vision is a huge boon. Last year Skinner, who studied conservation biology before joining the company, became part of a co-worker group focused on sustainability.

“We looked at everything, from our waste diversion to how we’re using our energy, and how we’re demonstrating sustainability to our customers,” she says. “That project has continued into this year.

“When I first joined IKEA, I had some reservations because many large companies face challenges meeting their sustainability goal. However, over the years, I've become impressed with our efforts,” adds Skinner.

“The organization concentrates on keeping things as sustainable as possible from the ground up. We focus on maximizing recycled materials, not over-packaging things. And even our food has a sustainability plan, making sure that when we have excess, it’s going to the right place. We also partner with Furniture Bank to ensure returned mattresses are redirected to those who need them in our communities.”

Skinner concludes: “It’s clear to our co-workers that IKEA is committed to investing resources into more sustainable ways of doing things — both inside and outside the blue box. I’m proud to work for a company that genuinely cares about making a positive impact on our local communities and the planet.”

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's Canada's Greenest Employers winners, published April 22, 2025 in The Globe and Mail. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.