(Image Source: IKEA)
BY JEREMY TRUITT
The iconic home store brand IKEA said in a statement Friday it “deeply regrets” using forced German labor roughly 25 years ago.
“IKEA was one of thousands of companies that outsourced production to state-controlled firms .... Political prisoners were used and abused if they failed to meet their work quotas.”
BBC reports several prisoners have since come forward claiming they were forced to work for IKEA suppliers decades ago.
The allegations ultimately led to IKEA hiring an accounting firm to fully investigate the allegations back in May. At the time, an Ikea official issued this statement:
“We started an investigation to further find out more facts and dig deep ... If it should have happened, this is deeply saddening for us, it’s completely unacceptable.”
The Associated Press reports the result of that investigation led the company to uncover it had in fact benefited from forced labor from criminal and political prisoners in the manufacture of its products. The New York Times calls the news:
“...a publicity disaster for a company that with its familiar blue and yellow logo seems at times like a cultural ambassador for Sweden.”
The forced labor was reportedly from the former East Germany, and according to MarketWatch the suppliers who used the labor were state-owned companies. It’s not the first time IKEA has faced damaging claims about its production line.
In the 90’s it faced child labor accusations. There were also claims the company used Cuban prison labor. Earlier this year the company vowed changes after claims the company used wood from a 600-year-old forest.
IKEA says it will donate to an organization called UOKG, which is conducting research on forced labor in East Germany.
(Image Source: IKEA)
BY JEREMY TRUITT
The iconic home store brand IKEA said in a statement Friday it “deeply regrets” using forced German labor roughly 25 years ago.
“IKEA was one of thousands of companies that outsourced production to state-controlled firms .... Political prisoners were used and abused if they failed to meet their work quotas.”
BBC reports several prisoners have since come forward claiming they were forced to work for IKEA suppliers decades ago.
The allegations ultimately led to IKEA hiring an accounting firm to fully investigate the allegations back in May. At the time, an Ikea official issued this statement:
“We started an investigation to further find out more facts and dig deep ... If it should have happened, this is deeply saddening for us, it’s completely unacceptable.”
The Associated Press reports the result of that investigation led the company to uncover it had in fact benefited from forced labor from criminal and political prisoners in the manufacture of its products. The New York Times calls the news:
“...a publicity disaster for a company that with its familiar blue and yellow logo seems at times like a cultural ambassador for Sweden.”
The forced labor was reportedly from the former East Germany, and according to MarketWatch the suppliers who used the labor were state-owned companies. It’s not the first time IKEA has faced damaging claims about its production line.
In the 90’s it faced child labor accusations. There were also claims the company used Cuban prison labor. Earlier this year the company vowed changes after claims the company used wood from a 600-year-old forest.
IKEA says it will donate to an organization called UOKG, which is conducting research on forced labor in East Germany.
