IKEA

Consumer Durables and Apparel

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Summary:

IKEA is alleged to have fired an employee in Poland over his religious beliefs and opposition to advocating for LGBTQ issues. IKEA has received a score of 100 from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and thus vets suppliers based on its LGBTQ protections and policies. The company does not protect against viewpoint or religious discrimination. IKEA advocates for the Equality Act and other progressive causes while funding the HRC. For these reasons, IKEA receives a "High Risk" rating.

Criteria
Risk Level
Rationale
Corporate Weaponization
Criteria

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level
Rationale

IKEA fired an employee in Poland when he protested against an LGBTQ event by posting Bible verses on the company’s internal network. Polish courts ruled against his case (1)(2). IKEA received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the HRC. Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (3).

Criteria

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level
Rationale

IKEA focuses its giving on issues relating to “climate action, renewable energy, agricultural livelihoods, employment and entrepreneurship, refugee livelihoods, and special initiatives and emergencies.” It has no specific policy prohibiting grants to faith-based charities (1).

Criteria

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

Risk Level
Rationale

Ikea does not have religious or viewpoint protections for employees (1)(2).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy
Criteria

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

IKEA has signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act (1). IKEA has also signed onto a 2019 amicus brief supporting the inclusion of sexual orientation in Civil Rights law protections (2). The company signed an open letter opposing a Florida bill that would prevent teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools to kids in K-3rd grade (3).

Criteria

Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

IKEA donates to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, which alongside promoting anti-harassment policies, also promotes LGBTQ ideology. IKEA also is a corporate partner of the HRC Foundation (1).

Criteria

Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level
N/A
Rationale

IKEA does not have a PAC.

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
December 28, 2022

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