Chongqing - Seventy-year-old Yang Shunlan, a resident of Chongqing’s largest public housing community, Minxin Jiayuan, recently saw significant improvement in her living conditions. 

Her home has been renovated with new furniture and senior-friendly features as part of the Concentric Circles of Home project. This initiative, backed by a foreign company and local partners, highlights the increasing collaboration between global businesses and local communities.

The Concentric Circles of Home project is a partnership between IKEA, Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, and Jinshan Subdistrict in Liangjiang New Area. It aims to improve living conditions for vulnerable groups, especially the elderly and children.

IKEA Chongqing Store is located in Liangjiang New Area. (Photo/Wang Yantong)

William You, Store Sustainability Leader at IKEA Chongqing, highlighted that child-friendliness, elderly care, and accessibility for people with disabilities are central to IKEA's sustainability strategy in China. “These focus areas align with our mission to create a better everyday life for people,” he said.

IKEA, the global home furnishing giant, entered the Chongqing market in 2014. By partnering with local authorities and organizations, IKEA not only contributes to social welfare but also deepens its connection with local communities, said Eric Kong, the IKEA for Business Leader.

Localization effort is also reflected in product development. Kong mentioned that IKEA plans to develop more products tailored to the Chinese market, such as a new line of age-friendly bathroom products designed by IKEA Shanghai to meet the needs of elderly consumers.

This follows the team’s latest Chinese Spring Festival Collection, which resonated with customers in China and regions of similar cultural backgrounds.

Kong said that closer collaboration will be established with local authorities and organizations in Chongqing. He credited the local government's strong support and the enabling business environment as key factors in IKEA's decision to invest further in Chongqing.

IKEA's presence in Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area underscores the region's appeal to foreign investors. Liangjiang New Area is the first development and opening-up zone in inland China, drawing major international companies as China's market continues to open up.

To date, Liangjiang New Area is home to 41 international organizations and 190 Fortune Global 500 companies, accounting for 30% of Chongqing's actual utilized foreign capital.