Skip to main content

6 March 2023

Ingka Group reaches gender balance across top leadership globally


Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer, has reached gender balance across top leadership roles globally. Forty-five percent of Ingka Group country CEOs are now women, and approximately half of the leaders across top management in 31 countries are female.

“At Ingka Group, we believe that gender equality at home and at work lie at the core of gender equality in society,” says Ulrika Biesèrt, Global P&C Manager, Ingka Group. “As we head into International Women’s Day, around the world, fair and equitable opportunities for women are, at best, stalling. We all must do more to achieve gender parity.”

Biesèrt attributes Ingka Group’s strong results to the company’s long-term approach to gender equality, which has been part of Ingka Group’s country business plans for over a decade. This means at Ingka Group there is a shared goal to achieve gender balance across all leadership positions, which is followed up annually.

Additionally, there is a clear strategic approach around inclusive succession goals.

Biesèrt says: “It’s important that we reflect the communities we serve at every leadership level. Not only is it the right thing to do, but the best thing for our co-workers, current and future customers, our business, and society.”

While Biesèrt is proud of the results, she says the company’s journey continues. “One key focus area where we now need to improve upon is removing the barriers for women from underrepresented groups to move into leadership positions,” she says.

Ingka Group has several new initiatives to reach that goal. The latest is a new programme to accelerate how Ingka Group reflects society in its leadership teams, with a focus on representation of people from underrepresented ethnic and cultural backgrounds. It is being piloted in Portugal, before rolling out to the rest of Ingka markets soon. 
 

About Ingka Group

With IKEA retail operations on 31 markets, Ingka Group is the largest IKEA retailer and represents about 90% of IKEA retail sales. It is a strategic partner to develop and innovate the IKEA business and help define common IKEA strategies. Ingka Group owns and operates IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. It has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. Read more on Ingka.com.

Media enquiries


For further information, journalists and media professionals can contact us at press.office@ingka.com or by calling +46 70 993 6376.

Media

Related articles

Ingka Investments acquires logistics park, to be used as IKEA’s first Customer Distribution Centre in Ireland

Ingka Investments Press Releases Sustainability

Ingka Investments acquires logistics park, to be used as IKEA’s first Customer Distribution Centre in Ireland

IKEA at Fuorisalone Milan Design Week 2023

IKEA Retail Life at Home

Join IKEA at Milan Design Week for a sensory journey through the past, present, and future of Life at Home

IKEA Retail Press Releases

First IKEA city store in Italy opens as part of Rome expansion push

IKEA Retail Sustainability

OPINION: We’ll only beat climate change if we help small businesses cut emissions ­‒ and fast

IKEA Retail Life at Home Press Releases

Atelier100 announces 2023 open call

IKEA Retail Press Releases Sustainability

IKEA secondhand store in Sweden now extended until August 2025

Real Life Roomset at IKEA Warrington, UK

Campaigns IKEA Retail

IKEA UK highlight temporary accommodation reality at four stores

Digital IKEA Retail Press Releases

One hundred drones now used across IKEA retail for stock inventory

Ingka Group IKEA Retail STEM roles

Culture and Co-Workers Digital

IKEA promotes gender equality in STEM roles

On International Women’s Day Ingka Group highlights role models from around the world

Culture and Co-Workers IKEA Retail

For International Women’s Day Ingka Group highlights role models from around the world

Culture and Co-Workers IKEA Retail

An Insider’s Look at the Bloom Leadership Development Initiative at Ingka Group

Campaigns IKEA Retail Press Releases

IKEA brings the exhibition “Assembling the Future Together” to Fuorisalone 2023, a sensory future-living experience to explore the evolution of Life at Home