Ingka Centres, the shopping centre business of the Swedish Ingka Group, says it is keeping its 14 malls in Russia open ‘to ensure access to essential goods by local communities’, but that it is ‘continuously evaluating the situation’.
The decision to keep the shopping centres - branded as MEGA - open is in contrast to the group’s move in early March to pause all its IKEA retail operations in Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. That move directly affects 15,000 IKEA workers.
‘The war in Ukraine is a human tragedy and our deepest empathy and concerns are with the millions of people impacted. Our primary hope is that the armed conflict ends as soon as possible,’ Ingka Centres told PropertyEU.
The war and the sanctions imposed against Russia ‘affect all international companies, including Ingka Centres’, the group said.
It added: ‘As of now the 14 meeting places operated by Ingka Centres in Russia remain open to ensure that local communities have access to the things they need. We continuously evaluate the situation and will adjust our decisions accordingly.’
Ingka Centres said it had activated an Emergency Financial Fund for its most vulnerable co-workers and their families to safeguard their income and employment stability. ‘All co-workers also have access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), supporting co-workers and their family with work or personal issues, or if they require legal or financial advice.’
Meanwhile, IKEA Foundation, funded by Ingka Foundation, has donated €20 mln for humanitarian assistance to those who have been forcibly displaced as a result of the conflict in Ukraine.
In addition, Inter IKEA Group and Ingka Group have granted an initial €10 mln each to provide support in products and other assistance to UNHCR, Save the Children and other organisations.
