A new step for inclusion: Social enterprises join IKEA Switzerland's supply chain

Imagine if services like kitchen installation could also help create meaningful jobs. 

That’s the idea behind a new collaboration in Switzerland. After announcing the programme last year, it marks the first time the Social Enterprise Partnership (SEP) Programme is coming to life in a real, commercial way.

The SEP programme connects businesses that create jobs for people who often face barriers to employment with long-term supply chain partnerships. Now, IKEA Switzerland is working with local social enterprises to provide kitchen installation and repair services, making social inclusion a key part of our daily business. 

Turning local expertise into real impact 

Social enterprises are closely connected to their communities. They know the local needs, challenges, and opportunities, and are well-positioned to create solutions that matter. 

At IKEA, we always look for ways to improve our customer experience, from installation and assembly to after-sales support. By combining the strengths of social enterprises and IKEA, the SEP programme builds partnerships that help both people and businesses. 

In Switzerland, this collaboration is becoming a reality. IKEA is partnering with two experienced social enterprises, BAND and VEBO, to provide services to customers with an IKEA kitchen.
 

A new way of working together 

This isn’t just a side project. It’s part of our core supply chain. 

Orders go through IKEA’s regular systems, just like with any other service provider. When a customer needs a repair, the request is processed directly. Spare parts are delivered to the customer’s home, and the social enterprise partner handles the service visit. 

Each visit combines professional skills with inclusion. A licensed supervisor works alongside someone who might otherwise have trouble finding a job. Together, they deliver high-quality service while opening up new pathways into skilled work. 

“This pilot in Switzerland shows something we’ve long believed: that social enterprises are not a compromise; they are a real supply chain option. The SEP Programme exists to unlock exactly this kind of partnership, and we intend to replicate it across markets. Inclusive employment and business performance are not in tension. This proves they can go hand in hand,” says Raphael Guillard, Global Supply Chain Partnerships Leader, Ingka Group.  

Creating opportunities through everyday work  

For BAND and VEBO, inclusion is already central to their work. Both organisations employ people with disabilities or those who need extra support. This partnership gives them a chance to make an even bigger impact. 

Through the programme and pilot, they’ll receive ongoing support to grow their operations, create more jobs, and build greater stability. The pilot is set up to learn along the way, testing and improving how things work based on real customer feedback. 

Thomas Wuillemin, Corporate Development & Project Manager at BAND Genossenschaft: “This partnership shows that inclusion and business excellence go hand in hand: when people with and without support needs collaborate as a matter of course, it creates quality, reliability, and measurable social impact.” 

Stephan Bitterli, Head of the Carpentry Department at VEBO Genossenschaft: “We are delighted about this exciting new partnership, which opens significant growth potential for both parties whilst also enabling us to enter a promising and sustainable new business sector.” 

Collaboration at the core 

The Social Enterprise Partnership programme brings together IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, Ingka Group, and Yunus Social Innovation to connect local entrepreneurs with the needs of IKEA markets. 

Through funding, mentorship, and hands-on teamwork, the programme supports social enterprises in growing their businesses and supports IKEA teams in finding new ways to work. 

“They’re very fast at setting up new solutions, and they are very willing to test and try. They brought ideas we hadn’t considered: new repair services, new business models. It was a good reminder to stay open, and that is exactly the collaborative energy we want to build on,” says Annik Müller, Sustainability Business Partner, IKEA Switzerland. 

Part of a global ambition 

Switzerland is the first IKEA market to bring social enterprises directly into its supply chain through SEP, but it won’t be the last. 

The aim is to expand this approach to more markets, creating long-term partnerships that bring together business value and social impact. Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer, wants to have at least one contracted social enterprise in each of its 31 markets. After Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Poland, Spain, and South Korea are expected to join. More than 100 Ingka Group employees in over a dozen markets have already taken part in the programme, building the skills needed to find, evaluate, and bring social enterprises into the supply chain as long-term partners. 

By working with social entrepreneurs, we hope to build more inclusive communities and meet real customer needs, showing that business can help drive positive change.