GREENPEACE WELCOMES NEW POLICY COMMITMENT FROM IKEA ON ANCIENT FORESTS

24 November 1999

BRUSSELS -- In a joint press conference with Greenpeace today, the international home furnishings retailer IKEA made a major public commitment in favour of the environment by announcing that IKEA is phasing out all purchases of products made from unknown sources of wood to ensure that no wood originates from ancient forests.

"Our long term goal is to ensure that all wooden products comes from well-managed forests. The first step is to see that no solid wood is coming from ancient forests," said Susanne Pulverer Bergstrand, Environmental Manager of the IKEA Group.

IKEA announced that they are working with their suppliers to ensure that, by September 2000, the solid wood used to make products for IKEA does not come from ancient forests. The only exception will be for wood from ancient forests coming from FSC certified forestry operations.

Greenpeace forest campaigner, Christoph Thies welcomed IKEA’s announcement saying "IKEA is sending a crucial signal to all competitors in the furniture retail business, but also to other wood- based businesses. Now it’s time for governments around the world to wake up and protect the last remaining ancient forests. Wood consumers have a right and a responsibility to know where their wood products are coming from, and to end their role in ancient forest destruction. IKEA is joining the movement of responsible corporate consumers concerned about ancient forests."

This announcement comes on the same day that Greenpeace is publishing a new report titled: Re-Source: Market Alternatives to Ancient Forest Destruction, describing a range of alternative fibre products available in the USA, Europe and Japan, that do not involve ancient forest destruction.

"Just one-fifth of the world’s original forest cover remains in large tracts of ancient forests. Almost half of these forest areas are currently under threat. Since logging activity to satisfy global demand for paper and timber is currently the biggest single threat to these forests, commitments from corporate consumers such as IKEA to stop contributing to ancient forest destruction represent a significant step towards ending the rapid loss of these vulnerable, yet invaluable habitats," added Thies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Christoph Thies, Greenpeace International Forest Campaigner or Gina Sanchez, Greenpeace International Media Co-ordinator at +31 65 312 89 07
- Patrick Anderson, Greenpeace International Forest Campaigner at +31 20 523 62 22
- Marianne Barner, Head of PR & Communications, IKEA International at +45 40 56 14 16

To read more about 'Re-Source' please go here