// Ikea signs legal agreement to improve its sexual harassment policies and practices
// The agreement is expected to last until August 2025
Ikea has signed an agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to improve its sexual harassment policies and practices after a complaint by a former employee.
The agreement comes after the EHRC was made aware of an allegation of sexual assault and harassment at Ikea UK and reports that these allegations were not appropriately handled by management at one of Ikea’s UK stores.
The homewares retailer has committed to reviewing the way it deals with sexual harassment and meeting its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.
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This includes a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment to all staff, working with a specialist external law partner to review its policies and processes relating to sexual harassment, and providing training to human resources staff and all line managers.
The agreement is expected to last until August 2025.
Under the terms of the legally binding agreement, Ikea will:
• communicate a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment to all staff.
• work with a specialist external law partner to support the organisation in reviewing its policies and processes relating to sexual harassment, and to improve its responses to complaints.
• provide training on the enhanced policies and processes, harassment and sexual harassment to Human Resources staff and all line managers.
