Our essence
Dear reader, This booklet describes the essence of Ikano: where we come from, what we stand for, what we promise and how we want to be perceived. Use it as a guide in your everyday choices and actions. Please share it with customers, partners and colleagues whenever useful. Jonas, Mathias, Peter Kamprad (owners of the Ikano Group) Arja Taaveniku (CEO of the Ikano Group) May, 2013
Where we come from Ikano was originally a part of the home furnishing company IKEA, founded by Ingvar Kamprad in Älmhult, Småland, in the southern part of Sweden, in 1943. During the 1980 s, IKEA was divided into three independent groups of companies the INGKA Group*, the Inter IKEA Group and the Ikano Group. In Småland, the people have a reputation for working hard and for being thrifty and innovative. They are known for their straightforward, no-nonsense approach to problem-solving in general and to business challenges in particular. So when Ingvar started his furniture business he applied the lessons he learned in Småland to the home furnishing industry: using every opportunity to reduce costs, scraping and saving in every possible way, except on ideas and quality. Doing things differently than others in the traditional furniture industry was not only his desire but also a necessity. In 1988, Ikano became an independent group of companies, owned by the Kamprad family. We have built our own identity, but our constant desire for renewal, our willingness to try unconventional solutions and our cost-conscious mindset remain the same. Today, Ikano is active within financial services, insurance, real estate and retail. The INGKA Group is a very important business partner for Ikano. *the biggest IKEA franchisee
The road to development Our heritage has taught us that the road to development lies in entrepreneurship and a constant desire to find new ways of making things happen. Ingvar Kamprad once shared his thoughts on entrepreneurial spirit: To be a successful entrepreneur you must have a business idea, preferably a good one and stick to it. Success will be found in the details and consistency. Remember that you are not the best in the world in everything you do! Surround yourself with colleagues who can compensate for your weaknesses, and then together you build a strong team. Create a unique spirit! The competitors can copy every part and every aspect of your business, but not the company spirit. This is what differentiates one company from another.
Our vision To create possibilities for better living.
Our business idea Together we create solutions, based on fair terms and simplicity, that bring value to our customers. We do this by developing and managing companies within financial services, insurance, real estate and retail.
Our human resource idea We are a group of open-minded, enthusiastic people who are encouraged to work together, develop ourselves and contribute to the success of Ikano.
Our fundamentals We focus on our three fundamentals and ensure a good balance between them. Customer value Profitability Our values We offer added value to our customers by understanding people s needs and by developing solutions that improve their lives. Profitability gives us financial strength and stability that allow us to plan and act with a long-term perspective. We never compromise on our values: common sense and simplicity, working together and daring to be different. Nor do we compromise on our promise: on fair terms. These are essential in everything we do.
Our values We want our customers, partners and co-workers to choose us for what we stand for, what we deliver and how we deliver it. Three basic values guide all Ikano businesses: common sense and simplicity, working together and daring to be different. These values support our promise: on fair terms. In order to achieve our vision, all of us need to pull in the same direction. This requires involvement and a strong will from everybody. Not only must we see opportunities and demands that others do not see, but we must also constantly improve our solutions and make them easier to understand and easier to use. We believe that no method is more effective than a good example. Living our values is how we make a difference. Working together On fair terms Daring to be different Common sense and simplicity Common sense and simplicity are part of our heritage and our culture. Understanding the needs of our customers and finding ways to improve the quality of their everyday lives is more important to us than following the latest trends. We have a practical, down-to-earth business approach and a cost conscious mind-set. We believe that the simpler the rules, the more natural it is to work with them. The simpler the explanation, the easier it is to understand and to carry out. Structures, policies and guidelines are sometimes necessary but need to be communicated in a clear, honest and straightforward way. Common sense and simplicity
Working together We all have different qualities. We surround ourselves with people of different strengths in order to create competent and dynamic teams. Ikano is characterised by people who work together and respect each other s efforts. We create an environment where everybody is important and valuable knowledge, experience and good ideas are shared. Mistakes help us to learn and improve and we share our learnings with each other. We listen to and gain knowledge from our customers, partners and co-workers. We are on the road to improvement together. Daring to be different We constantly strive to find new and better ways to run our business and to add customer value. To do this we must dare to be different and ask the simple question why? Challenging the established way is not just about tackling the big issues; it is also about finding new ways to solve the small daily problems. When we think differently we do this to stay one step ahead, to improve the business or to reduce costs, to help our partners become more competitive and profitable and to improve the everyday lives of our customers.
On fair terms At Ikano we ask ourselves: Is this on fair terms? We constantly review our solutions and our way of working with customers, partners and co-workers. The reason for this is that we are in business for the long run and we seek long-lasting relationships. Being on fair terms is essential for building strong relationships, creating value and growing a business. We live the promise on fair terms because we know that the quality and reputation of a company is determined by the promise made and the promise kept. On fair terms means striking the right balance between parties concerning risks, work and profit. It also means being open and clear in our way of doing business. In our business relations, on fair terms stands for being a good partner. It is about being available, reliable, delivering what is promised and doing it on time. Ikano is a fair company, a fair employer and a good local neighbour. We act for a sustainable future, taking responsibility for the economic, social and environmental aspects related to our business. We make an extra effort to support selected social initiatives, where our help can make a difference.
Our business areas
Business Area Finance Business Area Finance offers simple and smart banking and financial solutions that bring value to customers and partners in Europe. We offer products which include private label cards, credit cards, loans and savings accounts. We deliver sales finance and customer insight services to retail partners and provide companies with leasing and factoring solutions. We market products and services under our own Ikano brands, such as Ikano Bank, and through those of our retail partners the IKEA brand is one of the largest. Our presence in a number of countries enables us to offer both local and cross-border solutions. We strive for simplicity in everything we do and develop our products and services based on the understanding of our customers needs. All of our business is conducted on fair terms. Business Area Real Estate Business Area Real Estate is a long-term owner and developer of residential and retail properties in the Nordic growth regions. We play an active role where people live and shop. Ikano Bostad (residential) develops, builds and owns both tenantowned apartments and rental units. We offer well-designed and functional homes at reasonable prices for people at all stages of life. Ikano Retail Centres creates and manages shopping centres and retail parks together with IKEA retailers. Friends and families come from near and far for convenient shopping. We are a part of many people s everyday life and we want our customers to feel that we understand them. We work together to create attractive and durable environments. Building long-term relationships based on fair terms is important to us.
Business Area Insurance Business Area Insurance is committed to improving people s quality of life through insurance products and services. In Sweden, Ikano Försäkring offers companies, organisations and individuals personal risk insurance products such as disability, medical, life and accident insurance. Our payment protection insurance products for loans and credit cards, offered to customers through our cooperation with Ikano Bank, are additional examples of personal risk insurance that can support, protect and help our customers if anything should happen. In parallel, Business Area Insurance acts globally with experts who provide efficient risk financing and first-class advice to IKEA retailers and selected global companies. Furthermore, we reinsure substantial risks within life and non-life insurance such as vast property values, global transports, employee benefit and extensive liability exposures. Together with customers and partners we strive for simplicity and common sense. We dare to do things our own way and we act on fair terms. Business Area Retail Asia Ikano Pte. owns and operates IKEA stores in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia through franchise agreements with the Inter IKEA Group. We also own and operate shopping centres in Thailand and Malaysia. IKEA stores The IKEA vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. We do this by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. Our main target group is families with children. We bring value to our customers by providing home furnishing products for all areas of the home under one roof. We share home furnishing knowledge and inspiration free of charge, and we offer the lowest prices on the market. Ikano shopping centres Our aim is to be the preferred shopping destination for families, satisfying the different lifestyles, needs and wants of the many people. Each shopping centre is fully integrated with an IKEA store and contains a wide and deep choice of value-driven retailers. Activities, events and a unique food offer contribute to making us stand out from the competition and making a visit to our IKEA stores and shopping centres a fun day out for the whole family.
Produced by the Ikano S.A. Communication Department in May 2013. The print costs of this brochure were EUR 0,79 per copy. 8,500 copies were printed. www.ikanogroup.com