Credit: ikea.com

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Inter IKEA Group have renewed their long-standing partnership, extending their collaboration until 2030.

The two organisations first partnered in 2002, working together on projects related to forests, climate, cotton, and freshwater to protect natural ecosystems and improve community livelihoods.

The new phase of the partnership, running from 2025 to 2030, will continue to focus on the protection, management, and restoration of forests and freshwater systems while expanding efforts into agriculture.

The partnership will also address global issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss through joint projects in 12 countries: Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Romania, Slovakia, Thailand, Ukraine, and Vietnam.

WWF and IKEA aim to strengthen the responsible management of natural resources by working closely with local communities.

Their projects will include themes such as advocacy, biodiversity, climate, and communication, ensuring efforts contribute to both environmental and social goals.

“The urgency to reverse nature loss and reduce emissions has never been greater,” said Daudi Sumba, WWF’s Global Chief Conservation Officer. “Our long-standing partnership with IKEA shows how businesses can help drive real transformation.”

Since 2002, WWF and IKEA have worked together in 23 countries across Europe, Asia, and South America. Their collaboration has delivered measurable progress, including:

  • Increasing the number of FSC-certified forests and improving forest management practices in Europe and Asia.
  • Mapping over 90% of virgin and old-growth forests in the Carpathian region, with more than 75% now protected.
  • Planting over 2 million trees in cotton-growing regions of India and Pakistan.
  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cotton production by 30% in India and 23% in Pakistan.
  • Training over 400,000 farming families in climate-smart and regenerative agricultural methods.
  • Conducting a water risk assessment of over 2,000 IKEA production sites to improve freshwater management.

The new phase of the partnership will expand agricultural work beyond cotton to include beef, leather, palm oil, and soy, promoting deforestation-free supply chains and regenerative farming practices.

The partnership also aims to integrate climate and biodiversity goals across all areas of collaboration.

“This partnership creates a lasting impact for both people and nature,” said Christina Niemela Ström, Head of Sustainability for Supply at Inter IKEA Group. “We’re proud to enter the next phase, stronger and focused on 2030.”

WWF and IKEA’s collaboration represents one of the longest-running sustainability partnerships between a global NGO and a major multinational business.

Both organisations say their continued cooperation will focus on systemic change in how natural resources are managed to support a more sustainable and resilient future.

The partnership is working to protect and enhance biodiversity by supporting a transition towards more sustainable business practices. Find out more here.

Shahriena Shukri is a journalist covering business and economic news in Malaysia, providing insights on market trends, corporate developments, and financial policies. More about Shahriena Shukri.

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