Dec 21, 2006
IKEA is Green
This post has nothing to do with anything UAE related, Sweden (other than it is a Swedish company, or the US. 
This has to do with a company called IKEA and what they are doing for their employees in the UK. It seems that the company has decided to give every employee a folding bike, that they can ride to work, and if that was not enough they are giving every employee a 15 per cent subsidised travel tickets to encourage them to use public transportation.
These gifts where given to the employees at their annual Christmas Breakfast.
Now I think this is a wonderful gift, it will not only help their employees, but will help us all. Hopefully this will help our environment as well.
What I notice here in the UAE is that IKEA is asking customers to bring in their old newspapers so that they can recycle them. For here that is a big thing, for any company to do, but it was nice to see IKEA try to do it.
You do not see much recycling here in the UAE, and I think that is sad. We should take care of places that we live, and make sure we leave it better than what we found it, a lesson for all of us. Read more at BikeBiz.com.
IKEA UK manager, Peter Hogsted, said:
“We want to create a better everyday life for the many, and do what we can to make greener living possible. This is both for our co-workers, as well as our millions of customers.
“The bike is a fun present but there is a serious message. We all have a responsibility to do what we can to protect the environment.”
The gift of folding bikes was welcomed by the Government’s environment minister Ben Bradshaw MP:
“As someone who does not own a car and has cycled to work for years, I am well aware of the environmental and health benefits of cycling. Most journeys by car are under five miles and could easily be done by bike. Folding bikes are a particularly good idea because they are easy to take on trains and buses.
“More companies should follow Ikea’s lead and encourage staff to cycle to and from work.”