Ikea’s Nod to Sustainability • Contaminant Liability in California • Conservationist’s Mixed Legacy (Corrected)

Known for its flat-pack goods and unpronounceable product names, Swedish home furnishings giant Ikea has revolutionized the way we think about, and shop for, furniture.

It’s also been the target of criticism from environmentalists who say the company’s low-cost, high-volume strategy, which encourages impulse purchasing, has been a leading contributor to throwaway culture.

Customers wait in the checkout line at an Ikea store in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In an exclusive interview, Pia Heidenmark Cook, Ikea’s head of sustainability, spells out the company’s plans to change that image by reworking its global supply chain around “circular” principles of energy efficiency, recyclability, and sustainable materials.

Adam Allington’s story is up now, and you ...