Funding

The IKEA Foundation receives all of its funding from INGKA Foundation. It has no other sources of funding.

In 1982, Ingvar Kamprad decided to transfer the ownership of Ingka Group, which owns and operates the majority of IKEA stores globally, to INGKA Foundation to secure longevity for the business and to support charitable programmes enabled by dividends from Ingka Group. Over time, he set up three foundations: INGKA Foundation, IKEA Foundation and IMAS Foundation.

All three foundations share a charitable purpose, which is to create a better everyday life for the many people. No person is entitled to the assets of any of the foundations. Each foundation has its own expertise, role and is an independent legal entity, with separate corporate governance and separate day-to-day management.

INGKA Foundation achieves its charitable purpose by providing funding to IKEA Foundation. INGKA Foundation is the owner and sole shareholder of Ingka Group, which pays dividends to INGKA Foundation. When received, dividends are transferred to IMAS Foundation to secure the long term management of the funds until they are needed for the charitable purpose.

IMAS Foundation specialises in creating long-term returns on financial assets, incorporating responsibility and sustainability considerations into all investment decisions. It achieves its charitable purpose by financially supporting INGKA Foundation to facilitate the funding of the IKEA Foundation.

IKEA Foundation achieves its charitable purpose through grant making to tackle the complex and deep-rooted challenges of poverty and climate change. This is made possible thanks to INGKA Foundation and IMAS Foundations and the work of so many INGKA Group co-workers around the world.

By setting up these foundations, Ingvar Kamprad found a way to support his vision of creating a better everyday life for the many people while securing the long-term ownership, independence and purpose driven approach of Ingka Group.

Governance

The IKEA Foundation Board of Directors is our ultimate decision-making body. The board has five seats and each board member has one vote.

In line with the intentions of our founder, Ingvar Kamprad, the Kamprad family can occupy up to two of the five seats on the IKEA Foundation board. That means that the family can be involved in the Foundation, but it does not control the Foundation. Our funds can be spent only in pursuit of our charitable purpose and can never be spent for the benefit of anyone else. The Kamprad family engages actively in ensuring that the unique company culture and values developed under Ingvar’s leadership are kept alive.

The board may delegate their grant approval authority to internal management committees within the IKEA Foundation to ensure effective and responsible grant making. The Board of Directors has the following members: