While corporations are often associated with waste and pollution, a select few are making it their mission to give back for the good of the planet. The well-known furniture manufacturer, Ikea, has recently added another initiative to their list of charitable efforts.
Through a project with the organization “Home for Hope”, Ikea is bringing the importance of animal adoption to light. A select few stores have begun to display full-sized cardboard prints of animals up for adoption from local shelters. By placing these cutouts in the model displays, the project reminds the buyers of the importance of allowing an animal into their new home.
This project is not the first in humane and eco-friendly efforts by the company. Ikea’s website references the various sustainability efforts they make in the design of each of their products. It even goes as far as assessing the impact of the items they sell at the end of their useful lives. For example, Ikea has removed all non-rechargeable batteries from their stores in Sweden in favor of rechargeable variants.
Their outreach efforts are staggering as well, with 65 million people receiving updates from the company with advice on how to live and function more sustainably. Some members of this Ikea “family” have even received financial assistance from the company in their efforts to convert houses to solar energy through a partnership with a solar panel installation company based in the UK.
Ikea’s continued dedication to sustainability and humane efforts sets a standard for similar companies which emphasizes going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the continued protection of the earth and the environment. This philosophy is summarized in the mission statement, “to create a better everyday life for the many people"
Photo License: Creative Commons
Ikea Paves the Way for Environmentally-Conscious Corporations
