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deutsche Version Hamburg, 24-06-99 PRESS RELEASE Editorial Division: Environment/Topical What is the Elk doing in the Tropical Forest? ROBIN WOOD protest at IKEA against Furniture made of Tropical Wood IKEA has again entered the business with tropical-wood furniture. The furniture and fixtures chain is selling outdoor furniture made of teak without any credible proof of origin. Members of the environmental organization ROBIN WOOD therefore climbed on the roofs and towers of the IKEA stores in Berlin and Hamburg. On huge banners they warned: "Attention! Elk in Tropical Forest." In Cologne the environmentalists informed the customers with flyers about the tropical-wood business. Simultaneously, all German branches received protest faxes. IKEA maintains the teak for the furniture would originate "from plantations with sustainable forestry on Java/Indonesia". Upon an inquiry by ROBIN WOOD, the Company was however not able to substantiate this allegation. From nearly all the 57 forestry districts on Java, more timber is removed than what regenerates. Only three plantations there are being exploited in a sustainable way and have therefore been awarded the internationally acknowledged FSC-Seal by the Forest Stewardship Council. The teak furniture of IKEA (Type Harstena) does however not bear the FSC-Seal. And this despite the fact that IKEA is a member of the Forest Stewardship Council. IKEA does in fact propagate the environment protection", criticises ROBIN WOOD's tropical-wood expert Christoph Meyer, "actually however the Group is torpedoing the commitment towards sustainable forestry." IKEA would now have to purchase certified goods, in order to indicate to the Indonesian forest companies and to the German consumers that IKEA ist promoting ecological forestry. "Instead, IKEA withdraws from dealing responsibly with tropical timber", Meyer says. The summary by the environmentalists thus is: "Elk Test Not Passed!"*) ROBIN WOOD is requesting IKEA to ultimately prove their strong-worded eco-promises by actions, and forthwith to order no longer any tropical timber without FSC-Certificate. The remaining tropical-wood products on stock should be sold off for the benefit of protecting the rain forest. The Company in the future ought to inform its customers correctly and completely as to the origin of its wood products. ROBIN WOOD expects that the self-commitment is also applicable to the furniture and fixtures store Habitat. Last year, ROBIN WOOD revealed that Habitat was advertising tropical-wood furniture with misleading statements. Even this year, furniture made of tropical timber resulting from overexploitation is pilling up at Habitat. Only the fraudulent labels are missing. For Contacts please turn on: Pressestelle *) Referring to the so named failed car-stability test carried out by Mercedes-Benz on their A-Class models. Kontakt: Ute Bertrand, Pressesprecherin, presse@robinwood.de, 040 - 380 892 22

Please also see:
IKEA verzichtet auf Teak ohne FSC-Siegel - ROBIN WOOD-Aktionen gegen Tropenholz-Möbel erfolgreich, vom 27.10.1999 (german)
Bislang keine Einigung über Verkauf von Tropenholzmöbeln erzielt - ROBIN WOOD setzt Proteste gegen IKEA fort, vom 1.7.1999 (german)