We meet at a cafe. 

Ola walks in and her smile instantly warms up the place. It doesn’t feel like years have passed since we last had a coffee together — she’s still the same: witty, caring, and every bit as ambitious and focused as she was back when we were coworkers at IKEA. 

We were both part of the executive team at a time when IKEA Australia finally added e-commerce to its retail experience as well as some pioneering people and planet initiatives that paved the way for others to follow. 

Although neither of us work at IKEA today, we still share the values and the commitment to leading by example and sharing knowledge and experience for others to follow, a shared mission of doing our part towards helping expedite progress towards a sustainable future.

So, we order our coffees and get into the questions…

Meet Ola Diab: a senior e-commerce and fulfilment strategist with more than a decade of experience leading market launches, digital transformation, and sustainable logistics programs across Australia and New Zealand. 

She specialises in designing customer-centric fulfilment networks that balance operational efficiency, commercial resilience, and environmental impact. She’s worked for UNICEF, IKEA, and now Amazon Australia. She’s deeply practical, straight-talking, and she has a gift for turning good intent into measurable results. Tackling the transition to green fleets stands out as one of her biggest and hardest-won achievements, in spite of the inevitable resistance and unknowns.

KB: Ola, you’ve led transitions to zero-emission fleets in Australia. What really moves the needle for making these changes stick?

Ola: The real shift comes when you redesign the network — involving delivery partners right from the beginning. At IKEA, for example, we didn’t just swap diesel for electric. We worked step by step with partners like ANC and Kings, redesigning routes, planning charging, and building confidence through training and performance measures. 

Metro hubs are the sweet spot for rolling out this kind of shift — they’re predictable and offer density. The magic is in making progress local: when drivers, store teams, and customers see the impact, pride builds. That energy carries the whole program.

KB: Charging is one hurdle that seems to trip up businesses more than they expect. Any tips or lessons?

Ola: Absolutely. You have to think like a depot, not just a retailer. That means building hubs for charging — good overnight parking, vehicle flow, power capacity for growth, not just today’s needs. 

Laying cabling upfront saves future headaches. Getting government involved early, using policy levers and National Electric Vehicle Strategy references, can open up incentives and smoother approvals. 

The result is a charging model that stabilises costs and future-proofs operations as you scale.

KB: A lot of retailers now put their electric fleet front and centre, quite literally — Coles, Woolworths, and IKEA all roll through suburbs with bright, bold sustainability messages on their vans. When I was CMO at IKEA Australia, I led the messaging and branding for our very first EV fleet, so it’s something I’ve always been curious about. Is it actually working — does making those vehicles so visible drive real engagement or ROI?

Ola: It really does. When change is out in the open, customers and staff notice. 

IKEA’s branded electric vans with clear sustainability messaging made the transition visible and tangible. Drivers and teams felt proud, families pointed them out, and local councils saw the benefit on their own streets. 

It’s not just marketing — it becomes a neighbourhood talking point. Other retailers like Coles and Woolworths have seen similar results. In terms of impact, visibility built trust and deeper engagement not only with customers, but across partners too.

KB: With cost-of-living pressures, do customers actually care about “green delivery” these days?

Ola: Yes, but only if it’s easy and doesn’t cost them more. Especially younger people — they’ll always choose the lower-emission option if speed and price are the same. Making it visible, local, and convenient is the key. At IKEA, we used A/B testing to see which areas chose “green” and to measure impact. Trust and consistency matter; when customers see their options reflected in their own community, it doesn’t just build loyalty,it feels genuine.

Recent research backs up this experience: multiple Australian studies show cost and convenience are top priorities, but younger shoppers are the most likely group to actively choose sustainable delivery—especially when it’s just as affordable and convenient as standard options. In fact, almost half say sustainability is now a factor in their purchase decisions, but it’s the brands that make green choices frictionless and local that win lasting trust.

KB: Electric vehicles, do they actually lower costs, or just shift them elsewhere?

Ola: There’s an upfront investment for vehicles and infrastructure, but over time the savings add up — lower servicing, cheaper power, and less vulnerability to fuel price spikes. 

For large fleets, like those in major grocery networks, switching to electric saved tens of thousands of litres of diesel every year. Plus, as standards shift market options toward more efficient delivery vans and utes, fleet upgrades are getting easier and cheaper. It’s all about building a predictable, resilient system.

KB: Circularity isn’t easy. What’s worked in take-back, repair, and material recovery?

Ola: Simplicity and trust. IKEA’s Buy-back & Resell program worked because it was dead simple — bring your item in, it’s assessed, and you get instant credit. Recovery partnerships with universities and focused recyclers upped material quality. What made it scale was clear, win-win KPIs for quality and customer experience, not just tonnage.

KB: Is recycling — especially with cardboard — a real revenue stream now?

Ola: Yes, if you do it to a quality standard. Clean, baled cardboard sold to Visy and others goes right back into packaging. You need predictable volume and transparent pricing tied to the recycled material value. It’s a genuine win — lower waste bills, new revenue, and a stronger brand for circularity.

KB: Heavier trucks and warehouse moves — what’s the best way to start electrifying?

Ola: Focus on simple, repeatable routes, where trucks return to depot daily. Plan for charging overnight, and work with local power providers before you order vehicles. Trial for six to twelve months, learn, then scale. 

For groceries and quick-turn freight, electric refrigerated trucks and prime movers are already working. Long-haul will be a mix of battery-electric and renewable fuels. For now, hybrid’s the answer.

KB: Did all this change help the bottom line, or just add complexity?

Ola: When sustainability feeds into the business model, it wins on both fronts: lower ongoing costs, less risk, improved employee pride, better recruitment, and much stronger brand trust, especially among younger customers. It only works when it’s operational, not just aspirational.

KB: Mandatory climate reporting has kicked in, how do businesses get ready?

Ola: Start small. Creating a single source of truth for energy, fuel, and freight records, even a shared spreadsheet is a good start. Ask for regular, simple supplier reporting and use it to scenario-plan cost trajectories. Leaders make better calls when they see clear comparisons and real data.

KB: If there’s one thing to remember about piloting zero-emission delivery and circularity, what’s your best advice?

Ola: Start narrow, pick a city, a partner, or a product line, and get that process working well. Document what matters, then copy the model. Big shifts happen through small, well-measured wins you can scale.

Sitting with Ola was such a pleasure and a lesson in making sustainability practical and real through data, connection, and team grit. At Write Way Up, we believe the stories and advice from leaders on the ground are the ones that help the rest of us move forward, faster, and with more impact.