Ikea has been ordered to protect its UK employees from sexual harassment after concerns about how to deal with an allegation made by a former employee at one of its stores.
It is the latest known name to sign such an agreement, following a similar move by McDonald’s last month.
Britain’s equality watchdog told the BBC such action was rare.
Ikea said it “does not condone any form of harassment”.
The Swedish furniture giant employs around 12,000 people in Great Britain.
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The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) first looked into Ikea in February last year after it was made aware of an allegation of sexual harassment and assault at one of its UK stores. It was also claimed that the complaint was not dealt with adequately by management.
It is understood that the person who made the complaint no longer works at Ikea.
Since then, the EHRC has worked with Ikea to improve their policies and practices on sexual harassment.
Ikea has now signed a legal agreement with the EHRC committing it to an action plan to help protect its employees in the UK.
Actions include communicating a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment, providing employees with anti-harassment training, and improving the response to complaints.
The equality watchdogs will now monitor Ikea to see if it is complying with the law. If it finds evidence that it isn’t, it will investigate.
The agreement is expected to run until August 2025.
Baroness Kishwer Falkner, chair of the EHRC, said that by signing this agreement, Ikea “had taken an important step” to ensure its employees were better protected from harassment.
“Every employer has a duty to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace,” she told the BBC.
“I’m sure it’s not a comfortable place for any employer to come in and tell them they’re not doing what they need to be doing, but Ikea has agreed to do this.”
Baroness Falkner said the EHRC does not take such agreements lightly. However, when they do take action, they do so “specifically to ensure employers have the right tools that they are giving workers to keep them safe in the workplace”.
Darren Taylor, Country People and Culture Manager at Ikea UK & Ireland, said the company has “robust policies and procedures” to protect employees.
“However, we also recognize and welcome opportunities to further review and strengthen our approaches,” he said, adding that the firm will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure “the best possible working environment.”
Last month, fast-food chain McDonald’s pledged to protect workers after workers in the UK filed a spate of sexual harassment complaints.
A former employee, Christine, told the BBC that a McDonald’s manager exposed herself to her while she was working at a McDonald’s south London branch in 2018.
McDonald’s said Christine’s experiences were “completely unacceptable”.
The equality watchdog has also previously intervened in companies such as Sainsbury’s and National Highways.
- Report it: According to Charity Victim Support, you can report this to your manager, HR representative or the union, who will take action.
- keep records: Including dates, times and details of what happened and any relevant emails. These might be helpful if you decide to report it.
- Get help: Victim Support operates a free and confidential 24/7 hotline and live chat service. Call 0808 16 89 111 or use live chat at: victorsupport.org.uk/live-chat.
- Call the police: If sexual harassment escalates into violence, threats or sexual assault, you should report it to the police by calling 101. If you are in danger, call 999.
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