Dive Brief:
- Ikea turned to drawings from children from around the world to create its 2016 line of Soft Toys for Education.
- The 10 winning entries’ drawings have been recreated in plush detail by Ikea's toy designers, and are on sale now as part of the chain's annual fundraiser.
- For each toy purchased, Ikea will donate one euro to help fund children's education projects via Unicef and Save the Children.
Dive Insight:
Since launching the charity effort in 2003, the Ikea Foundation has donated more than $90 million to global children's causes.
The home-furnishings giant was ahead of its retail peers in practicing the growing movement of “conscious capitalism,” or “ethical shopping.”
Shoppers increasingly want their purchases to reflect some greater good, which can range from merchandise that helps support a particular cause or social initiative to products that incorporate fair-trade, or eco-friendly practices.
Ikea’s green awareness, for one, started in the 1960s with its signature flat-pack shipping. The shipping method was designed to reduce transportation costs, and in turn, harmful fuel emissions.
The concept of conscious capitalism, a term used heavily by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, as it’s a tenet of the company’s business model, has been increasingly moving from the margins to the mainstream. Even Wal-Mart is taking part. In 2013, the retailer launched a line of products supplied by small businesses owned by women – many of whom have faced adversity such as poverty and domestic abuse.
