CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., Sept. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IKEA Group¹ takes the next step towards reaching 100% zero emissions home deliveries by announcing an accelerated timeline for transitioning to EV in five major inner cities - Amsterdam, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, and Shanghai - by 2020.

Reaching 100% zero emissions for last mile home delivery will be an important step towards achieving the science-based targets, contributing to the Paris Agreement² and becoming climate positive by 2030**. It is also a key part of becoming even more accessible for the many people through sustainable services free from air and noise pollution.

"We challenge ourselves and inspire others as we can only achieve the change that's needed together. For us it's crucial to grow our business in a sustainable way– that's why we're speeding up the transition to EV in five inner city areas. By 2020 all our home deliveries in central Amsterdam, Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Shanghai will be by EV or other zero emission solutions," says Jesper Brodin, CEO, IKEA Group (Ingka Holding B.V. and its controlled entities).

In September 2017, IKEA Group announced In September 2017, IKEA Group announced being one of the first companies to join EV100, a global initiative by The Climate Group bringing together businesses committed as driving forces towards the transition to electrical vehicles by 2030.

IKEA Group targets include:

• Zero emission home deliveries, targeting five prioritized inner cities (Amsterdam, Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Shanghai) by 2020.
• Aim for 100% of home deliveries by electric vehicles (EV) or other zero-emission solutions by 2025 (aim of 25% by 2020).
• Access to charging stations for EVs across all IKEA Group touchpoints across 30 markets, such as stores, offices, and distribution centres by 2020.
• Aim to halve relative emissions from co-workers and customers travelling to IKEA Group touchpoints by 2030.

"By switching to EVs for home deliveries at this pace, IKEA is setting a strong example for clean transport in city centers, where zero emissions zones will one day become the norm. They are enabling their customers to play a key part in accelerating the roll out of electric vehicles overall," says Helen Clarkson CEO, The Climate Group.

"IKEA Group has led the world on science based targets and now we can have our BILLY book cases delivered on zero emission vehicles. Thank you," say Andrew Steers, President and CEO of the World Resources Institute.

Read more about the IKEA sustainability commitments and ambitions set for the entire IKEA franchise system: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/this-is-ikea/newsroom/press-release/ikea-launches-new-people-planet-positive-strategy/ 

For more on IKEA Group's sustainability performance, read the IKEA Group FY17 Sustainability Summary Report: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/doc/ikea-download-the-2017-ingka-holding-b.v.-sustainability-summary-report-pdf__1364526394201.pdf 

** Inter IKEA Group, the worldwide IKEA franchisor is responsible for the IKEA range and supply chain, commits to become climate positive by 2030, as well as to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the IKEA value chain by at least 15% in absolute terms, compared to 2016.

The climate positive, which refers to the whole IKEA value chain means to reduce more greenhouse gas emissions than the IKEA value chain emits and includes:

• Fulfilling the commitment to the Paris Agreement: Reducing the greenhouse gas emission from the IKEA value chain in absolute terms (in line with science based targets) contributing to limiting global temperature increase to well below 2°C, aiming towards 1.5°C, by the end of the century. Part of this includes the following goals:
• Reducing the climate footprint from stores and other operations* by 80% in absolute terms by 2030 compared to 2016, as well as aiming to consume and purchase 100% renewable energy; while increasing energy efficiency and generating more renewable energy than consumed by 2020.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 15% from the IKEA value chain in absolute terms by 2030 compared to 2016. This translates to a 70% reduced climate footprint on average per IKEA product. More ambitious goals are set for the different footprints based on the level of influence, e.g. higher ambitions for our direct suppliers. The scope includes the footprints of materials, food ingredients, transport, the production at suppliers, and the use of our products in people's homes.
• Storing and capturing carbon: Developing and improving practices to capture and store carbon through carbon sequestration within the IKEA value chain, for example through even better forest management.
• Going beyond IKEA: Addressing a footprint larger than the IKEA value chain, for example by supporting our direct suppliers to reduce their total footprint (not just the manufacturing of IKEA products). This enables us to address a footprint around four times bigger than the production of the IKEA products. We will also inspire and enable people to save and generate renewable energy at home.
• Take the lead and engage with others to inspire action towards a low-carbon society.

¹ IKEA Group (INGKA Holding B.V and its controlled entities) is the largest IKEA franchisee with 366 stores in 30 markets.
² To keep global temperature increase to well below 2°C, aiming towards 1.5°C, by the end of the century.

About the IKEA Group
IKEA Group (INGKA Holding B.V. and its controlled entities) is one of 11 different groups of companies that own and operate IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. IKEA Group is the world's largest home furnishing retailer and operates 366 IKEA stores in 30 markets. IKEA Group offers well-designed, functional and affordable home furnishing products at prices so low that many people are able to afford them.IKEA Group stores had 817 million visits during FY17 and 2.1 billion visits www.IKEA.com.

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SOURCE IKEA Group