IKEA and Save the Children
»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵand IKEA/IKEA Foundation have worked together since 1994 to help realize children's rights to a healthy and secure childhood, which includes a quality education. By listening to and learning from children, we develop long-term projects that empower communities to create a better everyday life for children. The shared values of IKEA/IKEA Foundation and »ÆÉ«ÊÓƵcreate a good foundation for a long-term strategic partnership. The global partnership aims to promote activities that drive sustainable business operations across the entire value chain, and endeavours to maximise both business value and social impact.
Partnering to Create a Better Everyday Life for Children
Global Partnership
Save the Children’s child rights programs in India and Pakistan, funded by the IKEA Foundation, aim to improve the lives of children in cotton-growing districts by protecting them from hazardous forms of child labor, abuse, violence, exploitation and neglect. We make tremendous efforts to fight the root causes of child labor and strengthen children’s rights in the cotton communities so we can keep children safe, out of factories and cotton fields and in classrooms where they can learn, play and develop.
We are quickly and efficiently helping children whose communities are struck by disasters or conflict. At the onset of an emergency, the IKEA Foundation guarantees a decision 24 hours after receiving a funding application from Save the Children. This enables »ÆÉ«ÊÓƵto be fast, flexible and efficient when deploying humanitarian experts to the field to save lives, alleviate suffering and restore dignity of affected children and their families.
»ÆÉ«ÊÓƵis dedicated to increasing the capacity of the humanitarian sector and does this through its Humanitarian Leadership Program. The IKEA Foundation is supporting »ÆÉ«ÊÓƵto expand the Humanitarian Operations program into French-speaking countries, and to develop and initiate training programs in Education and Child Protection in Emergencies.
We have reached 1 million children directly in 17 countries in Asia and Europe thanks to the Soft Toys for Education campaign. Running from 2003 to 2015, the campaign aimed to improve the education of the most disadvantaged children, recognizing that education is one of the best investments for them. Our programs focused on children of ethnic minority groups and children with disabilities – groups which are often the most vulnerable.
Local Partnerships
IKEA U.S. is a committed partner supporting children after crisis though our psychosocial programs. IKEA at register campaigns encourage customers to donate at checkout. IKEA U.S. will match customer donations dollar for dollar to help create child-safe spaces and provide the resources for kids heal through play..
Good Cause Campaigns
IKEA’s Let’s Play for Change campaign supports children’s right to play. The IKEA Foundation realizes that many children around the world lack safe spaces to play and develop. By granting $53 (Є45) million to six partner organizations, including Save the Children, the IKEA Foundation helps some of the world’s most vulnerable children play safely and develop to their full potential.
In 2019, IKEA US donated 100% of the retail price of each SAGOSKATT 2019 collection pieces sold to Save the Children’s relief and recovery efforts in the United States. The SAGOSKATT soft toy collection is a series of wonderfully imaginative plush toys, designed by kids – for kids. Proceeds went help to ensure emergency teams can quickly respond to future crises, providing essential services for children and families most affected by disaster.