IKEA's long term goal is to source all the wood from verified, well managed forests. The co-operation between WWF and IKEA supports the implementation of IKEA's forest action plan and IKEA's choice of WWF as a partner is based on their competencies and positive and inspiring approach.
Mr. Thomas Bergmark, Manager of Social and Environmental Affairs, IKEA Group
A Global Partnership
In 2002, WWF and IKEA began a three-year co-operation to jointly promote responsible forestry in priority regions around the world. The 5 years of technical co-operation has seen the two organizations worked together on a series of forest, cotton and climate projects in many countries e.g. China, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, India, Pakistan and Poland.
The first phase (2002-2005) of the partnership included forest projects that are important steps in implementing IKEA's forest action plan and in achieving WWF's conservation targets. The projects produced many exciting results. Read more in the summary (PDF).
While celebrating the achievements, both organizations acknowledged that many challenges remain and making real change happen will require persistence. That's why in 2005, WWF and IKEA began a second phase of work (PDF).
So in 2005 the co-operation was extended with projects regarding reducing the environmental and social impacts of conventional cotton production in India and Pakistan and in 2007 climate change projects started. The climate change projects will be implemented in Poland, China, UK and Sweden.