Greenpeace Challenges Retailer's Forestry Commitments
Greenpeace International published a report alleging that Ikea Group engages in wood sourcing practices that harm European forests, according to reporting by Supply Chain Dive. The environmental organization claims a gap exists between Ikea's public statements on sustainable forestry and its actual purchasing practices. Greenpeace also stated that the furniture retailer has failed to measure the full environmental footprint of its global supply chain.
To address these issues, Greenpeace urged Ikea to halt wood sourcing from high-biodiversity forest regions, set corporate biodiversity goals for 2030, embed ecosystem integrity into governance, and align its political influence with biodiversity commitments. The allegations follow previous reports from other groups, including Earthsight and Agent Green, which pointed to illegal harvesting and destructive logging in European supply chains.
Ikea Defends Sourcing Approach and Verification Methods
In a response to Supply Chain Dive, Ikea stated that it welcomes discussions on biodiversity but disagreed with several of the report's conclusions, saying the findings do not fully reflect its sourcing controls. In its FY25 sustainability disclosures, the retailer noted that it continues to use forensic methods to verify wood origins and manage impacts across its value chain.
Ikea reported that its suppliers processed approximately 14.7 million cubic meters of round wood equivalent in FY25. Virgin fibers represented 81% of that volume, while 19% came from recycled fibers. Composite materials made up 69% of the wood-based materials used by Ikea, solid wood accounted for 25%, and paper or paper-based coverings comprised 5%.
Regional Sourcing and Supplier Tracking Requirements
Ikea sources 81% of its total wood from Europe, with Poland and Lithuania producing the largest shares of virgin wood. Overall, Ikea reported that 96.5% of its wood and paper materials are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified or recycled, leaving 3.5% uncertified under exceptional conditions. To give regional suppliers access to compliant materials, Ikea acquired roughly 8,000 hectares of forest land in Latvia.
To enforce compliance across its supply base, Ikea requires all suppliers to maintain FSC certification, submit wood origin reports three times per year, and provide annual procurement plans. Suppliers must also maintain full traceability for the wood used in Ikea products.
