Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer, is building on its long-standing LGBT+ commitments for this year’s International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (17 May) and upcoming Pride season with a call to action to close the inclusion gap in the workplace and wider community.
Using the headline, #facethegap, Ingka Group is inviting everyone to listen to young people from the LGBT+ community as they share their stories, hopes, dreams, and wishes on how to make life more inclusive for all.
For Ingka Group closing the LGBT+ inclusion gap starts at home. #facethegap comes following the results of the company’s first global inclusion survey for co-workers in 2022. It found that although the majority of LGBT+ co-workers are comfortable being themselves at IKEA, 38% still feel the need to cover or downplay aspects of their identity.
“Our global inclusion survey results showed that not all co-workers face the same level of inclusion in the workplace,” says Helen Duphorn, Ingka Group Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager. “We need to acknowledge and face up to where we are now, so that our efforts to bridge the inclusion gap are driven by honest self-reflection and the input of LGBT+ co-workers in all countries where we operate.”
Despite decades of progress on LGBT+ issues, there is still an inclusion gap in workplaces and society. #facethegap inspires co-workers, customers and society to speak up and address negative stereotypes, microaggressions and exclusion that the LGBT+ community faces, and encourage everyone to act for inclusion and against hurtful biases.
IKEA has a history of visibly supporting LGBT+ acceptance stretching back to 1994 and continues its work on closing the inclusion gap across its markets, through business initiatives and partnerships to advance LGBT+ rights, campaigning for transgender and non-binary inclusion, and providing relevant co-worker benefits such as parental leave and paid co-worker leave for gender affirmation.
"Too many in the LGBT+ community, especially younger people, face a real inclusion gap, and we’re committed to doing whatever we can, as an employer and in wider society, to close it. We can close the gap by listening, understanding, building bridges and being committed allies. Let's face the gap together."– Helen Duphorn, Ingka Group Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager
Find out more about #facethegap on our campaign page (link).
About Ingka Group
With IKEA retail operations in 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.
