Keeping the end in mind

Considering the “end of life” of the products you produce is a really intelligent way to build actual real sustainability into your organisation.

Part of IKEA’s climate policy, what they call the “IKEA Forest Positive Agenda for 2030” highlights 3 key areas they aim to support the management of forests, which are:

• Making responsible forest management the norm across the world.
• Halting deforestation and reforesting degraded landscapes.
• Driving innovation to use wood in smarter ways by designing all products from the very beginning to be reused, refurbished, remanufactured, and eventually recycled.

All great things for sure, but that last one is my favourite.

I’s a unique strategy they’re employing inside the walls of IKEA to ensure their products are designed and built with the end in mind, right from the beginning.

There’s a humbleness to this that is interesting to me:

They understand that IKEA furniture has an “end”, and are doing something about having solutions for that.

They’re realising that the product leaving their factory isn’t the end of IKEA’s responsibility for that product. They’re ensuring they’re still part of the supply chain as a remanufacturing it refurbishment option.

This is the kind of thinking that manufacturing – any product creation really – needs to adopt. Your responsibility doesn’t end when the product leaves your premises, nor will your product live on forever and never become a waste issue (with a handful of exceptions I’m sure).

And as a purchaser, how cool is it too know that IKEA will buy your furniture back when you’re done with it? No selling, no dumping, and no Facebook Marketplace people to deal with! 🙌