Subject: WJC / IKEA
From: Amitabh Desai <[email-masked]>
To: Bruce Lindsey <[email-masked]>, Laura Graham <[email-masked]>, Doug Band - PC <[email-masked]>, Justin Cooper - PC <[email-masked]>, Valerie Alexander <[email-masked]>, Angel Urena <[email-masked]>, "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>, Terry Krinvic <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 24 May 2012 12:16:21 -0400

IKEA is launching a major global sustainability effort to get their company energy independent and to engage families/customers on how to reduce home energy bills. It hasn't been announced yet and they are open to IKEA CEO announcing it in the United States with WJC, sometime in September or October. There are a number of possible events/roles for WJC in the announcement - one idea would be to do an event at an IKEA store (Brooklyn or Westchester or anywhere convenient for WJC) that's been fitted with solar panels, sells LEDs, offers home-visits to help families figure out how to reduce their energy bills, etc - the objective would be to show the corporate world that it's possible to do well while doing good environmental things; and to show the general public some concrete ways for them to reduce their energy bills - not in theoretical terms but with specific offerings. We of course would need to be careful that this doesn't get misinterpreted as WJC pitching IKEA products - and IKEA is sensitive to that as well. The announcement needn't be at a store and IKEA is open to any suggestions from us. Overall there seems to be much more upside than downside, especially since IKEA is rolling this out with or without WJC, and it would be good for him to have a role in it (IKEA reaches an enormous customer base in the US and globally and if we structure this well, they could help deliver positive messaging about WJC to many people) and for IKEA to say they are working in alignment with WJC's work and leadership on climate/economic issues; and also positions him as delivering real options for US families to save money on their energy bills. Event also would give WJC a chance to mention CF. Would anyone have concerns about us working towards an announcement with IKEA in the Fall? We are aiming to do another call with IKEA folks in a week, and would welcome your feedback if this is something we should not pursue. We can do this outside of CGI so that WJC / CF rightfully get credit since we have done the work on this (and IKEA do not want to announce it at CGI because they believe it would get lost amidst the many other CGI announcements; and they are not a member). Thanks, Ami