IKEA - Swedish retail furniture giant aims for 100% renewable energy by 2020

UK Guardian reports that Swedish furniture retail giant Ikea aims for 100% renewable energy by 2020 (2012): “Ikea plans to be energy and resource independent by 2020 under an ambitious new sustainability strategy backed by €1.5bn in clean energy investment and unveiled today by the global furniture retailer. The People and Planet Positive plan is designed to protect the company from price shocks and tap into customers' desire for a greener lifestyle, the firm said in a webcast this morning. Alongside its energy and resource goals, the plan commits the company to helping Ikea's 770 million customers save money through the use of more efficient products, improving sustainability throughout its supply chain, and supporting human rights and education efforts. Steve Howard, chief sustainability officer at Ikea Group, told reporters that the company aims to meet 70 per cent of its energy demand "from renewable energy [installations] we own and operate" within three years, adding that "we'll expand that from 2015 to 2020 to 100 per cent". [1].

[1]. Will Nichols, “Ikea unveils plan to use 100% clean energy by 2020”, Guardian, 24 October 2012: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/oct/23/ikea-clean-energy .