IKEA has rightfully been getting tons of praise, including from our sister site strategy, for championing a number of green initiatives over the years.

While many companies put up a Save the Earth post on Earth Day, the Swedish-born store is actually taking concrete steps to help Canadians create less waste, such as when it launched a program that allows customers the chance to sell their gently-used goods back to the company in return for an IKEA gift card.

Another way the store is helping the environment is via its ongoing partnership with WWF-Canada. The environmental non-profit has been hosting workshops in IKEA stores, educating people on how to restore native plant habitats.

“One of the biggest drivers of wildlife loss is habitat loss, and native plants provide habitat for hundreds of species, while non-native ones may only support a few…” says Pete Ewins, lead specialist, species conservation at WWF-Canada (pictured above, far left, with a stuffed panda on his shoulder). “Our workshops with IKEA have been instrumental in showing Canadians how easy it is to plant a garden that ultimately helps biodiversity thrive, one native plant at a time,”

The workshops are a benefit of the retailer’s free loyalty program, IKEA Family. Loyalty program members get free access to exclusive workshops and events in-store, as well as exclusive product discounts, special offers, ideas and inspiration, according to a company spokesperson.

The event also highlights that IKEA is not just a place to get BILLY bookcases, it also sells a range of indoor and outdoor plant and garden items (shown above in a recent Instagram post). My green-thumb hubby has fallen in love with the store’s handy SOCKER hanging planters and I’ve had my eyes on the mini SOCKER indoor/outdoor greenhouse for awhile. Helping to save the planet and promoting products? Perhaps other retailers should be taking notes.