| | | | | IKEAMGT301 CSR
Case Study Report | |

Table of Contents

Executive Summary 1 Introduction 2 Company History and Overview 3 Vision, Objective and Values 4 Meaning of Sustainability to IKEA 5 CSR Issues and Criticism 6 Why IKEA sought to address the issues through CSR 12 How IKEA sought to address the issues through CSR 13 The Natural Step 15 Public Response 17 Cultural Change Within IKEA 18 Evaluation of the Strategic Element of IKEA’s CSR Practice 22 Conclusion 23
Bibliography 24
Appendix 26

IKEA
MGT301 CSR
Case Study Report
Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of IKEA as an organization and the issues and criticism in which it has been
(IKEA Sustainability Report 2009, p. 7)

IKEA believes that “taking responsibility for people and the environment is a prerequisite for doing going business”.
(IKEA n.d., Our Responsibility)

To support their sustainability idea and mission, IKEA actively engages in activities that positively affect people and the environment, products and materials, climate change, working conditions, and the community and social issues through valuable partnerships with NGOs.

CSR Issues and Criticism

IKEA has met several pitfalls during the course of its existence, especially during the 80s and 90s, but its share of criticism also came in recent years of the new century.

The first indication and signal of criticism came from the marketplace, which raised IKEA’s environmental awareness; customers began wondering whether IKEA’s products and processes involved unsafe practices and chemicals, and environmental exploitation.

Consumers started becoming more concerned about the environment and health effects of chemicals, unsafe products and materials, as well as social concerns such as child labor and working conditions.

IKEA has had its fair share of criticism and scandals, all of which received a reaction and response from IKEA to try and minimize the risks and improve its processes. The criticism and scandals identified in this report range on a timeline between 1981 and