Human Rights
Nobody’s equal till everybody’s equal
Human Rights are for everyone, every day. Our vision to create a better everyday life for the many people embraces co-workers, customers, suppliers and their local communities. Our co-workers can expect fair treatment and equal opportunities, whatever their ethnicity, religion, gender, physical ability, sexual orientation or age. Because a level playing field brings out the best in all of us. And it has to be level every day, not just when it’s convenient.Respect for human rights, based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, is part of everything we do and is included in our supplier code of conduct, called the IWAY Standard.
>> Download the IWAY Standard PDF
Supporting the ethical recruitment of migrant workers
There are 200 million international migrants across the world, with many discovering that finding better work can lead to large debts from recruitment fees, forced labour and human trafficking. IKEA has joined with four other companies to drive positive change through the Leadership Group for Responsible Recruitment, whose vision is a world where no worker pays hiring fees. IKEA has always been supporter of fair working conditions as a human right, and as part of the Leadership Group, we would like meaningful and lasting change to hiring practices for migrants to become standard practice.
For many migrant workers, the promise of a better future can result in large debts from recruitment fees and – in the worst cases – bonded labour. At IKEA we set clear standards for the recruitment and employment of workers through IWAY, our code of conduct. Under no circumstances do we tolerate forced labour or human trafficking. We also expect our suppliers to treat migrant workers fairly and to offer transparent employment terms and good working and living conditions.
For many migrant workers, the promise of a better future can result in large debts from recruitment fees and – in the worst cases – bonded labour. At IKEA we set clear standards for the recruitment and employment of workers through IWAY, our code of conduct. Under no circumstances do we tolerate forced labour or human trafficking. We also expect our suppliers to treat migrant workers fairly and to offer transparent employment terms and good working and living conditions.
Working together to drive change
In many countries recruitment practices are complex and involve several organisations. To support our suppliers in dealing with these challenges, we are partnering with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). In South East Asia we have already worked together to successfully map the recruitment process from suppliers back to the workers’ home countries. We will use the findings to further support the ethical recruitment of migrant workers and to work towards creating lasting change.>> Learn more about the International Organization for Migration
We believe in protecting children
We do everything we can to act in the best interests of children, whether it’s how we design products or steps we have taken to eliminate child labour.
Our commitment to children runs deep
When it comes to our products and stores, we try to think from a child’s perspective. We want our products to aid their development and for our stores to become play areas, just as if they were at home. We work with experts on children’s development, to learn and understand their needs during different stages of development.
A clear ban on child labour
We believe that children have the right to be protected from exploitation, abuse and neglect. This is why child labour is unacceptable to IKEA and why we work actively to prevent and eliminate it. Our child labour code of conduct, introduced in 2000, was developed in close co-operation with Save the Children and with advice from the International Labor Organization (ILO) and UNICEF.
Creating long-term solutions
Preventing and eliminating child labour is a big challenge, which can only be tackled by addressing the root causes with a holistic approach. That’s why the IKEA Foundation supports UNICEF and Save the Children child rights programs in 25,000 villages in a number of states in India and Pakistan; reaching a total of 15 million children by the end of 2017.
>> Visit the IKEA Foundation website for more information