The Next Steps

There is always one more step to take. If we look at Ikea, what else must it do to live up to the vision of “being for the majority of people”? The company has been able to reach the middle classes with its product range and prices. A good achievement, true, but the real challenge will be to provide well-designed and good-quality home furnishings for the really poor, be it in the villages of India or in the inner cities of Western countries.

In terms of equality within the company’s workforce, yes, some improvements have undoubtedly happened regarding gender equality. The more challenging task of creating management opportunities for minority groups in the different markets of operations has so far been unsuccessful. In terms of environmental work, yes, a lot has been achieved, but some real challenges remain to be addressed both among suppliers and in the areas of energy and raw material use.