Introducing the first cohort of Everyone's Business programme!
Meet the 11 social enterprises contributing to a more inclusive, sustainable, and hopeful Sweden.
Today, we kick off the series by showcasing three inspiring women from the I-SEA programme: Andri Setyowati, founder of Nichoa Chocolate, and two IKEA co-workers who supported her, Diva Yohanna (Deputy Sales Manager at IKEA Indonesia) as a Thought Partner, and Tri Utami known as Tami (Visual Merchandiser & Activity Specialist at IKEA Indonesia) as a mentor.
At IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, we support social enterprises creating positive impact through accelerator programmes designed to assist them scale and grow sustainably. In Indonesia, we partner with Instellar Impact to run our accelerator programme, the I-SEA programme, where 58 co-workers have supported 30 social enterprises across three cohorts as Thought Partners and Mentors.
Andri, founder of Nichoa Chocolate, shared that her motivation for joining the programme came from both practical needs and a desire to grow with purpose.
“The grant obviously helped,” Andri said, “as it enabled Nichoa Chocolate to develop our slow bar chocolate concept, where people could come and taste our products, which in turn strengthened our promotion efforts.”
She also emphasised the valuable collaboration with Diva and Tami. Through regular sessions, Andri gained new perspectives on leadership, decision-making, and efficiency such as how to prioritise her work.
“It was during the COVID-19 pandemic, so it really interested me, since many organisations stopped working on sustainability at that time. During the pandemic, we were working harder to make sure that our social impact efforts continued. When it comes to social impact, we know that during the pandemic the economy slowed down, and the first communities to be affected were marginalised groups.”
For Diva, joining the I-SEA programme was a way to actively live the IKEA values and contribute to something meaningful.
For Tami, curiosity and a willingness to take on new challenges motivated her to join the programme. Drawn by her interest in sustainability, she applied as a mentor seeking a new experience outside her daily routine yet gained far more. By sharing her visual merchandising expertise in a new context, she expanded her network and deepened her professional knowledge.
As a mentor, Tami also followed Nichoa Chocolate’s progress closely, from creating mood boards to store openings and exhibitions. "That made it very memorable,” she recalled. “I felt proud of myself as a mentor.”
She now realises that there are many ways we can influence positive social impact in our day-to-day work. For example, in her current role, she now considers not just business performance but also how IKEA can drive social impact within the community and among co-workers.
Tami shared a similar view. After visiting Java Fresh, one of our social enterprises, during IKEA Front Day of Sustainability, her perspective shifted. Seeing the women packers working in rural areas opened her eyes to how significant the social impact created by this programme is, and how her own expertise could contribute to it.
For Andri, I-SEA became a space for self-reflection. She once viewed herself as a “toxic” leader after facing challenges with a team member who didn’t share her values. Through the programme, she realised her leadership style wasn't toxic but rather strict and values-driven, and the programme enabled her to refine and improve her approach.
Connecting with other social enterprises in the programme also strengthened her belief in the future of social entrepreneurship. “Just like IKEA, which started with small dreams and now creates global impact, I believe social enterprises can grow and scale as well,” she said.
“I believe many organisations and IKEA markets would be interested in engaging with it,” Diva said. “So, if I could change anything, it would be to speak up more and actively promote this programme.”
Tami agreed, adding that she hopes more IKEA co-workers understand that the I-SEA programme is not just a sustainability initiative. It’s a programme that creates a better everyday life for the many people, aligned with IKEA’s vision.
“Women are often the heart of the family. When women have a safe place to work and a supportive environment, they can support their families better as well.”
And when businesses and social enterprises learn from and support each other, creating social impact becomes a shared journey that allows us to drive positive change for wider society.
At IKEA Social Entrepreneurship, we support social enterprises creating positive impact through accelerator programmes designed to assist them scale and grow sustainably. In Indonesia, we partner with Instellar Impact to run our accelerator programme, the I-SEA programme, where 58 co-workers have supported 30 social enterprises across three cohorts as Thought Partners and Mentors.
Learning from the ground up: Nichoa Chocolate’s journey
Nichoa Chocolate, based in Magelang, Indonesia, joined I-SEA Cohort II with a mission to improve the well-being of chocolate farmers and consumers in Indonesia.Andri, founder of Nichoa Chocolate, shared that her motivation for joining the programme came from both practical needs and a desire to grow with purpose.
“The grant obviously helped,” Andri said, “as it enabled Nichoa Chocolate to develop our slow bar chocolate concept, where people could come and taste our products, which in turn strengthened our promotion efforts.”
She also emphasised the valuable collaboration with Diva and Tami. Through regular sessions, Andri gained new perspectives on leadership, decision-making, and efficiency such as how to prioritise her work.
Why IKEA co-workers joined and what they found
When IKEA Social Entrepreneurship initially launched the I-SEA programme in Indonesia, Diva was intrigued.“It was during the COVID-19 pandemic, so it really interested me, since many organisations stopped working on sustainability at that time. During the pandemic, we were working harder to make sure that our social impact efforts continued. When it comes to social impact, we know that during the pandemic the economy slowed down, and the first communities to be affected were marginalised groups.”
For Diva, joining the I-SEA programme was a way to actively live the IKEA values and contribute to something meaningful.
For Tami, curiosity and a willingness to take on new challenges motivated her to join the programme. Drawn by her interest in sustainability, she applied as a mentor seeking a new experience outside her daily routine yet gained far more. By sharing her visual merchandising expertise in a new context, she expanded her network and deepened her professional knowledge.
As a mentor, Tami also followed Nichoa Chocolate’s progress closely, from creating mood boards to store openings and exhibitions. "That made it very memorable,” she recalled. “I felt proud of myself as a mentor.”
A learning exchange
Both Diva and Tami emphasised how much they learned through the programme. “I’ve learned much more about sustainability and social impact,” Diva said. “These are things I probably wouldn’t have learned if I had stayed only within my role.”She now realises that there are many ways we can influence positive social impact in our day-to-day work. For example, in her current role, she now considers not just business performance but also how IKEA can drive social impact within the community and among co-workers.
Tami shared a similar view. After visiting Java Fresh, one of our social enterprises, during IKEA Front Day of Sustainability, her perspective shifted. Seeing the women packers working in rural areas opened her eyes to how significant the social impact created by this programme is, and how her own expertise could contribute to it.
For Andri, I-SEA became a space for self-reflection. She once viewed herself as a “toxic” leader after facing challenges with a team member who didn’t share her values. Through the programme, she realised her leadership style wasn't toxic but rather strict and values-driven, and the programme enabled her to refine and improve her approach.
Connecting with other social enterprises in the programme also strengthened her belief in the future of social entrepreneurship. “Just like IKEA, which started with small dreams and now creates global impact, I believe social enterprises can grow and scale as well,” she said.
If they could start again…
When asked what they would do differently, Diva and Tami shared the same answer: they would talk about the programme more.“I believe many organisations and IKEA markets would be interested in engaging with it,” Diva said. “So, if I could change anything, it would be to speak up more and actively promote this programme.”
Tami agreed, adding that she hopes more IKEA co-workers understand that the I-SEA programme is not just a sustainability initiative. It’s a programme that creates a better everyday life for the many people, aligned with IKEA’s vision.
Empowering women to lead change
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, Andri, Diva, and Tami share a belief that reflects their collaboration: women should support other women.
Andri believes that empowering women means empowering families, commenting:
“Women are often the heart of the family. When women have a safe place to work and a supportive environment, they can support their families better as well.”
Tami added: “In my community, I see many women leading the way on addressing social and environmental issues and creating meaningful impact. Their contributions show why it’s so important that they have a seat at every decision‑making table. By joining the I-SEA programme as a mentor, I hope to support women in building their confidence and unlocking even more value in their work.”
A shared journey forward
Andri, Diva, and Tami remind us that meaningful social impact doesn’t come only from well-designed programmes, but also from everyday choices: how we listen, contribute, and step beyond our defined roles to support others.And when businesses and social enterprises learn from and support each other, creating social impact becomes a shared journey that allows us to drive positive change for wider society.