How IKEA Decided to Pause Business in Russia

On February 24, Russia fired missiles into Ukraine, launching a war that has displaced millions and likely killed thousands. One week later, mega retailer IKEA announced it would pause all production in both Russia and Belarus and shutter its namesake stores. This decision was anything but simple. Showing support for Ukraine ultimately meant impacting over 12,000 IKEA employees in Russia, not to mention Russian consumers who turn to IKEA for reasonably-priced home goods. On today's Leadership Next, the CEO of IKEA's Ingka Group Jesper Brodin explains how the company thought through this complicated decision. "A bit like the pandemic, there is no manual or guidebook for us here," Brodin says. Also in today's conversation: why IKEA now sells renewable energy, the mattress-recycling economy in Sweden, and how Brodin nurtures his mental health.