The Government delegate to the Community of Madrid, Francisco Martín Aguirre, attended this morning the inauguration of the new IKEA store in the Parquesur shopping center in Leganés, in an event that was also attended by the Swedish ambassador to Spain, Teppo Tauriainen, the IKEA’s CEO in Spain, Nurettin Acar, the General Director of Commerce of the Community of Madrid, Marta Nieto Novo, and the Mayor of Leganés, Miguel Ángel Recuenco.

In his speech, Francisco Martín stressed that the opening of this new IKEA center is “good news” because it means more stable employment and is also a sign that “in Spain there is a favorable climate for business” and “a clear legal certainty to continue investing in the real economy”.

The government delegate in Madrid has highlighted the Swedish company’s “exemplary commitment to equality between women and men”, which is reflected in the Second Equality Plan. A plan that has the Distinctive Equality in Business of the Government of Spain, a recognition of its excellence.

In this regard, Francisco Martín has specified that IKEA has 59% of working women, a proportion that remains on the steering committee. Thus, it is “an example of integration of the gender perspective in the management of the company and the co-responsibility between women and men”, with measures such as the extension of paternity leave and achieving that up to 40% of conciliation leave is requested by men.

Ikea is increasing its presence in Spain with significant investments and new openings. As part of that strategy, Ikea is investing 40 million euros in the Community of Madrid in 2023, expanding its presence with a new store in the Westfield Parquesur shopping center in Leganés, the seventh so far in the region. “A clear example that Spain and Madrid have a favorable climate for economic growth, for business,” concludes Francisco Martín.