IKEA Adelaide reduce environmental impact with co-workers' help

On March 31, IKEA Adelaide will again turn off the lights for Earth Hour but the annual switch off is just part of a continuing commitment to reduce their environmental impact.
 
Since 2008, IKEA Adelaide has reduced its electricity use by over 18 percent and gas consumption by 45 percent despite the store’s trade continuing to grow.

Combined, the savings equivalent to over 1100 tonnes of carbon are enough to power 150 Adelaide homes for a year.

Recycling is another key priority for IKEA Adelaide and the store currently recycles around 25 tonnes of cardboard and 12 tonnes of timber every month.

IKEA Adelaide conducts regular social and environmental audits to ensure the store is maintaining and improving its efforts in recycling, waste reduction and energy saving.

Not only are these audits motivating to IKEA Adelaide co-workers, they also help the store stay up-to-date on new technology, services and programs that can help with social and environmental projects.

IKEA Adelaide’s Sustainability Coordinator Rob Holgate said engaging your co-workers to help reduce the environmental impact of your operations is where real differences can be made.
 
“An internal Sustainability Focus Group has been formed to provide the next step in the strategy and to encourage involvement from co-workers,” said Rob.
 
“By directly involving our co-workers we can create enormous opportunity for change.
 
“The IKEA philosophy is based on reducing waste whether in materials production, manufacture and transport of its products, storage or store operations.
 
“In 2009, IKEA created the Never Ending List which catalogues continuous improvements made by the company around the world to reduce its environmental impact and support the welfare of people around the world involved in the production of IKEA products.
 
“Many of the ideas on the list have been made by IKEA co-workers and we’ve adopted the same approach in the Adelaide store with much success.
 
“Simple changes like altering lighting schedules by switching from evening replenishment to morning replenishment shifts, improved seasonal temperature control, application of window film and reducing commercial lighting have all had a positive impact.”
 
IKEA Adelaide was also the first IKEA store in the world to remove traditional incandescent light bulbs from their range as part of a global phase-out.
 
The phase out was introduced in October 2008 and at the same time the store introduced an in-store recycling station, where used old bulbs can be disposed of safely. The station allows customers to recycle compact fluorescents bulbs and fluorescent tubes.
 
“IKEA Adelaide is committed to continuous improvement and will continue to engage co-workers in its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of our operations, said Rob.
 
On March 31 (Earth Hour), IKEA will host a candlelit in-store Earth Hour Dinner party for 20 of its customers.

For more information, visit www.IKEA.com.au.

ISSUED BY HUGHES PUBLIC RELATIONS: Please contact Simon Hatcher on (08) 8412 4100 or simon@hughespr.com.au