Year In Review 2017 Year In Review 2017 new | Page 24

Article Interview with Lisa Davis - Sustainability US Manager at IKEA The story of IKEA began in 1943 when Ingvar Kamprad established a small business selling pens, picture frames and other consumer products at reduced prices. Within a few years, the company started focusing on selling furniture and since then, IKEA has grown into a global company. Today IKEA has 340 stores represented in 28 different countries. The business idea is to create a better everyday life for people and making home a better place. The company has always had a strong tradition of conducting business in a sustainable manner. SACC-Philadelphia’s interns had the pleasure of interviewing Lisa Davis, Sustainability Manager at IKEA North America. Ms. Davis provided the following interesting insights on IKEA’s sustainability programs and other ongoing initiatives. Hi Lisa, thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview. Please tell us a little about yourself and your role within IKEA. I am the retail Sustainability Manager for IKEA US. I have been with IKEA for 26 years, 10 years specifically working with sustainability. I am responsible for programs and initiatives related to helping people live more sustainably, circular economy, sustainable transportation of customers and co-workers, instore sustainability communication, sustainable stores, and sustainability training. How would you describe working at a large Swedish company? Do you believe IKEA puts more resources into sustainability and development than other companies? At IKEA, we collaborate with a number of large retailers, and we frequently compare our work to others. We are committed to having a positive impact on people and the planet, which includes being a good company and operating in a sustainable way. We have accomplished a lot globally and in the US, but, there is still a lot of work to do. Would you say that customers, in general, demand and expect you to take more responsibility nowadays compared to before? Awareness of sustainability continues to grow with customers. More often, they recognize the need to take action to reduce their impact as individuals as well as our impact as a business. There is an expectation that businesses operate in a sustainable way and have a positive impact on the communities where we are located. During 2016 the Swedish Government submitted a legislative proposal that it should be mandatory to issue sustainability reporting for some large companies in Sweden. The proposal passed and since January 2017 it is now mandatory for many large companies to prepare a sustainability report. IKEA has produced an annual sustainability report for many years now, and we will continue to do so. It is important as we set aggressive targets and that we communicate our progress against those targets externally. Has the recent legislation regarding sustainability reporting affected your work here in the U.S.? Have you seen an increased focus on sustainability within IKEA this past year? There has not been any significant change to our work since we have been reporting on our progress for years. We always aim to be transparent with our work and our progress. We will continue to revisit our goals, set aggressive targets, and report on our progress, regardless of changes in regulations around the world. Page 20