IKEA Canada Q&A: Building Circular Systems For The Planet

IKEA continues to strengthen its commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices, advancing initiatives that integrate environmental and social impact into everyday decision-making across its global operations.

At the forefront of these efforts in Canada is Peter Jones, Head of Sustainability at IKEA Canada, who joined the organisation in January 2026 with extensive international experience spanning finance, operations and business performance across the UK, Canada and Sweden.

Throughout his career, Peter has focused on embedding sustainability into core business strategy – ensuring environmental and social considerations are reflected in performance measurement, resource allocation and long-term value creation.

Prior to joining IKEA Canada, he led Sustainability Analytics & Impact at Ingka Group, where he helped integrate sustainability into strategic planning and decision-making processes across the wider business.

He has also worked with organisations through Ikano Insight to develop and implement sustainability strategies that deliver measurable outcomes.

In his current role, Peter is focused on advancing IKEA Canada’s sustainability agenda while supporting the company’s vision of creating a better everyday life for the many Canadians.

This includes collaborating with coworkers, customers, partners and communities to scale solutions that are accessible, affordable and impactful for both people and the planet.

Peter shares his insights with Sustainability Magazine.

What are IKEA Canada’s sustainability priorities?

Our approach is guided by three interconnected priorities: Healthy & Sustainable Living, Climate, Nature & Circularity and Fair & Equal.

These pillars shape how we design products, operate and engage with society.

Healthy & Sustainable Living focuses on helping Canadians live more sustainably at home.

While many want to make better choices, barriers such as cost and convenience can stand in the way.

We aim to close that gap with solutions across our range made with sustainable materials and designed to be affordable, practical and desirable – from water-saving taps to plant-based food, reusable food storage and air purifiers that support wellbeing.

Climate, Nature & Circularity focuses on addressing climate change, resource use and biodiversity loss.

We aim to embed circular thinking from the design stage so products can be reused, repaired or recycled, while reducing emissions across our operations and value chain.

Fair & Equal reflects our commitment to the people connected to our business and in the communities we serve.

This includes advancing diversity and inclusion, upholding human rights through our IWAY framework, building partnerships across Canada and supporting local neighbourhoods.

Together, these priorities require collaboration to create meaningful impact at scale.

How is IKEA Canada supporting the circular economy?

Circularity is an important part of our business.

We design products with their full lifecycle in mind, prioritising renewable and recyclable materials where possible and enabling repair, reuse and recycling, in line with our Democratic Design approach.

We bring this to life through services that make circular living easy and more affordable.

Our Spare parts program supports repair, Sell-back extends product life and our omnichannel As-is marketplace offers preloved IKEA products at reduced prices.

Partnerships also play a key role.

Through Furniture Bank, we redirect gently used home furnishings to local families in need and our collaboration with WWF-Canada links circularity to climate and nature action.

So far, this fiscal year, we’ve diverted more than 78.9% of operational waste from landfill, reflecting strong progress toward our 2030 zero-waste goal.

What is the company doing to decarbonise operations?

Decarbonisation is a key priority across energy, transport and operations.

We’ve invested significantly in renewable energy, including two wind farms in Canada that generate more electricity than we consume, as well as nearly 17,000 rooftop solar panels across the country.

Transportation is another major focus. In August 2025, 72% of our big and bulky home deliveries were completed using zero-emission trucks, surpassing combustion engines for the first time.

Our ambition is to exceed 90% zero-emission deliveries by 2028.

We’re also supporting more sustainable choices by expanding EV charging infrastructure at our stores and fulfilment units for customers and delivery partners.

These efforts contribute to our global ambitions to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

How is IKEA Canada creating sustainable food systems?

Food plays an important role in our sustainability agenda.

We’re making sustainable food choices more accessible by expanding plant-based options like plant balls and veggie dogs, while maintaining responsible sourcing standards.

We’re also tackling food waste.

Through Second Harvest, we donate surplus food from our Swedish Food Markets and through Too Good To Go, we offer excess restaurant meals at discounted prices.

Additionally, we support customers in reducing waste at home through products like reusable food containers and waste sorting solutions, as well as inspiration through our Sustainable Living Shops.

What sustainable progress has the company made since introducing its sustainability initiatives?

We’ve made strong progress in our sustainability journey and while we know there is always more work to be done, we’re proud of our momentum

Our renewable energy investments mean we now generate more electricity than we consume, while our solar installations continue to expand.

At the same time, our transition to zero-emission home deliveries is accelerating.

In circularity, we’ve expanded services like Sell-back and As-is, while diverting more than 78.9% of operational waste from landfill, marking progress toward our 2030 goal.

Our partnerships have further extended our impact – we collaborate with and support values-aligned organisations such as Furniture Bank, Habitat for Humanity, Rainbow Railroad and WWF-Canada.

Just as importantly, sustainability is embedded in the everyday customer experience through our products, food and in-store inspiration.

This reflects a broader shift: sustainability is not a separate initiative, but a core part of how IKEA Canada operates and continues to deliver value to the many Canadians.