Vietnam is an important source of wood supply.

Supply from Vietnam is highly appreciated

IKEA Group is one of the largest private furniture retailers in the world. Mr. Giafar Safaverdi - Managing Director of IKEA Vietnam Services Co., Ltd., Southeast Asia Supply Area Manager - IKEA Group shared that IKEA has been present in Vietnam through purchasing and supply activities since 1993 and has continuously expanded cooperation with various domestic supply partners over the past time.

Vietnam is considered an important wood supply market for IKEA suppliers. It provides a large amount of Acacia wood - a dark wood sourced from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified sources, suitable for IKEA's outdoor furniture products. In the near future, IKEA will study the purchase of rubber wood with many applications in furniture production.

“Vietnam plays an important role as a supply destination that brings many advantages in IKEA’s supply chain. With increasingly developed infrastructure and favorable trade policies, Vietnam sets out new directions and sustainable development, in line with the development orientation in IKEA Group’s supply chain,” affirmed Mr. Giafar Safaverdi.

IKEA Group representative (far left) attended the workshop "Bringing Vietnamese fashion, furniture, and household goods into foreign distribution systems" within the framework of Viet Nam International Sourcing 2023

In 2023, IKEA Group is one of the Swedish enterprises participating in the Viet Nam International Sourcing 2023 event series. At this event, IKEA Group participated in the workshop "Bringing Vietnamese fashion, furniture, and household goods into foreign distribution systems"; participated in B2B activities; visited booths and connected with Vietnamese enterprises in the wood and furniture industry... Viet Nam International Sourcing 2023 is considered an important trade promotion event, helping to connect businesses in IKEA's supply chain.

Based on the positive results in 2023, in 2024, IKEA Group will continue to participate in Vietnam International Sourcing 2024 scheduled to be held in June in Ho Chi Minh City. Mr. Giafar Safaverdi shared that here, IKEA wants to share the practice of building its sustainable supply chain according to the sustainable development strategy "Positive benefits for people and the planet" (People & Planet Positive Strategy) throughout IKEA's global value chain.

In addition, the Group wishes to update practical experiences in building a sustainable supply chain of raw materials and products from participating businesses in the current development context of Vietnam.

“We hope that Vietnam International Sourcing 2024 can become a destination where participating businesses can promote knowledge sharing and efforts to reinforce the importance of building a sustainable and long-term supply chain system in Vietnam. Together, we can create more positive impacts on the livelihoods of local communities, improve environmental protection efficiency in parallel with economic development activities,” Mr. Giafar Safaverdi expected.

What are the criteria to become an IKEA partner?

As the world's largest furniture and interior enterprise, participating in the IKEA Group's supply chain will bring many benefits to the enterprise. Sharing about IKEA's criteria for selecting suppliers, Mr. Giafar Safaverdi said that IKEA's suppliers and service providers are key partners in the development process. Enterprises in the supply chain share the responsibility of ensuring that IKEA's signature products are produced from sources that fully meet sustainable responsibilities, with the ability to produce products promptly, fully, ensuring quality at the most optimal cost to meet the needs of an increasingly expanding customer base.

The IWAY Standard - IKEA's Code for Responsible Sourcing has been developed for our suppliers and service providers to ensure that they operate with respect for the environment, society, workers' working conditions and animal welfare in our value chain. IWAY is IKEA's way of responsibly sourcing products, services, materials and components, and is mandatory for all IKEA suppliers and service providers.

“ We hope that Vietnam International Sourcing 2024 can become a destination where participating businesses can promote knowledge sharing and efforts to reinforce the importance of building a sustainable and long-term supply chain system in Vietnam. Together, we can create more positive impacts on the livelihoods of local communities, improve environmental protection efficiency in parallel with economic development activities, ” Mr. Giafar Safaverdi expected.

Mr. Giafar Safaverdi also shared that Vietnamese enterprises are assessed to have many advantages as the EVFTA Agreement has opened up significant opportunities on a global scale. To take advantage of the opportunities brought by this Agreement and expand their presence in the international market, Vietnamese enterprises need to develop appropriate action strategies. Manufacturers need to focus on complying with international standards, improving product quality and researching trade support policies, as well as updating consumption trends and preferences of global customers. Moreover, building a strong distribution network and focusing on developing sustainable business activities will help enterprises exploit the full potential of the EVFTA Agreement.

From June 6 to 8, 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Industry and Trade in coordination with the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City will organize a series of events "Connecting international supply chains" 2024. It is expected that Viet Nam International Sourcing 2024 will include many major activities such as: Export Forum "Connecting international supply chains"; seminars, trade connection activities and the Exhibition Connecting international supply chains 2024 - Viet Nam International Sourcing Expo 2024...

Source: https://congthuong.vn/tap-doan-ikea-viet-nam-la-nguon-cung-ung-go-quan-trong-313115.html