International WELL Building Institute (IWBI)

At IWBI, giving back is a year-round commitment. The holiday season offers a special opportunity to come together and support our local communities. In alignment with the Civic Engagement feature in the WELL Standard, we provide employees with two days of paid time off to volunteer and support causes that matter most to them. Earlier this month, folks in our NYC office used volunteer time to create heartfelt greeting cards for caregivers and service members with the nonprofit A Bright Spot. How does your organization enable civic engagement? We’d love to hear how you’re giving back to your community—share your stories in the comments below! #GiveBack #WeAreWELL

WELL for residential is a certification program designed for developers, builders, operators, architects and designers to enhance resident well-being by creating healthier, more supportive home environments. Elizabeth (Liz) Miles, our own Head of Residential, sits down with journalist Beth Cochran, WELL AP to discuss the details of the program and share early adopter success stories. Watch the full interview https://ow.ly/Lro150UvecW #WELLForResidential

#WELLFridayFeature: Congratulations to NEO Office PH, a WELL at scale leader, for achieving an impressive 3-star rating under GRESB in its latest sustainability report! As a long-standing sustainability champion, NEO continues to pave the way for efforts that benefit both people and the planet. They’ve set a groundbreaking precedent in Southeast Asia, becoming the first to achieve both the WELL Health-Safety Rating and WELL Equity Rating across their portfolio of seven buildings. Notably, they are the first organization in the Philippines to participate in the GRESB survey, setting a high benchmark for others in the region.  From excelling in GRESB to scaling with WELL, NEO exemplifies leadership in action. Curious about their journey? Dive in: https://lnkd.in/eAVt6V7R Or, explore how to map WELL to the 2024 GRESB Real Estate Assessment with our crosswalk: https://lnkd.in/eyQH9J2Z #WELLatscale #GRESB #Sustainability #HealthyBuildings #PeopleandPlanet

As we close out the year, we reflect on the remarkable progress made across the Americas. From plaque ceremonies to Flagship events, 2024 was a year full of milestones worth celebrating. Let’s carry this momentum forward–together–in 2025! Annual highlights include: - Connecting with industry leaders at the WELL Conference in Long Beach, CA. - Networking with the sustainability community at Greenbuild in November. - Partnering with Citi to host our inaugural Social Sustainability summit at their headquarters in NYC! - Hosting many plaque ceremonies across the US and Canada, including GSK, Pfizer and FirstService Corp to name a few. #WeAreWELL #NorthAmerica

Coworking and flexible spaces are transforming the way we work, becoming one of the fastest-growing workplace markets. The WELL Coworking Rating provides operators with a roadmap to make these spaces happier, healthier and more productive for everyone. Learn more about why now is the time for flexible workspaces to prioritize health and well-being: https://ow.ly/XtQg50UtGax Lauren Walker Coworks #Coworking #WorkplaceWellness

As we look back on an incredible year in the EMEA region, we are filled with gratitude for the passionate advocates, organizations and experts who have driven the WELL movement forward. From groundbreaking initiatives to impactful partnerships, we’ve made significant strides in advancing health and well-being across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey–we couldn’t have done it without you!  Some memorable moments include:  - IWBI President & CEO Rachel Hodgdon took to the road in May, traveling across Europe to connect with industry leaders in the region.   - The EMEA team hosted a regional summit in London, where President & CEO Rachel Hodgdon introduced the new #WELLCoworkingRating, a partnership between IWBI and The Instant Group. - Local team members attended the annual GBCI Europe Circle to discuss transforming built environments for future generations. #WeAreWELL #EMEA

Congratulations to Sunrise Senior Living for achieving the WELL Equity Rating across all of its communities, becoming the first and only organization in the senior living industry to earn this designation through the WELL at scale pathway. Alongside additional WELL Health-Safety Rating and WELL Certification milestones, Sunrise truly demonstrates its steadfast commitment to providing senior living facilities that prioritize the health and well-being of residents and staff. https://ow.ly/MBM450UsR6n

As we close out a successful Social Sustainability Summit, hosted at Citi’s headquarters in New York City, we are filled with gratitude and optimism for the industry leaders and organizations paving the way toward a more just and impactful future, for all. Pagitsas Advisors CEO Chrissa Pagitsas shared thoughtful advice about living and working well: “You are not alone in your work; don’t do it by yourself—lean on your team." Industry leaders discussed breakthroughs in sustainable finance: "When companies align their values with their business strategy, they drive profitability while contributing to a better society," said Claudia Herbert Colfer, Head of Programming at United Nations Global Compact Network USA. There was a lively discussion on how to place people and #DEI at the center of the sustainable economy revolution: “You have to bring the community along if you don't want business interruption," noted Kanika Singh, Director of Innovative Finance at Milken Institute. Thank you to all who attended and supported this event, including our generous sponsors. A big shoutout to Kelly Worden, MPH and MINJIA YANG, our ESG and Sustainable Finance team, for leading the charge on this inaugural event!  #SocialSustainability #SustainableFinance #DEI #WeAreWELL #WELL2024

Greetings from the IWBI Social Sustainability Summit, hosted at Citi headquarters in NYC today! As we wrap up our morning programming, we’re reflecting on key insights attendees and takeaways from today’s discussions: During our opening keynote address, IWBI President & CEO Rachel Hodgdon reflected on the importance of the “S” in “ESG:” “From an investor perspective, organizations that take good care of their workforce and extend that care to their value chain workers, their impacted communities and their end users are not simply less risky investments, they are winning investments.” In our first panel, speakers had the chance to discuss how social sustainability is instrumental to business strategy: “There is a huge business case for everything health and well-being,” says Liam Bates, CEO & Founder of Kaiterra. After a coffee break, attendees dove into the influence of real estate. “It's really creating an opportunity to educate our CEOs, to get them comfortable, to continue to get them brought in so that social sustainability is not sitting in the silo by itself, but we're really beginning to see the linkage between our business operations, the return on investments, profit outcomes, how it all comes together,” Ayris T. Scales, SVP of Social Sustainability & Global Initiatives at Nareit, shares with the audience. We’re excited to continue the conversation this afternoon with another series of standout speakers. #SocialSustainability #WELL2024

2024 was a truly transformative year in APAC, with the region on the brink of reaching an incredible milestone of 1 billion square feet engaged in WELL! From meet-ups to summits, the IWBI team had the privilege of connecting with and working alongside inspiring voices and passionate advocates who are driving meaningful change across the region. Highlights include: 1. Hosting Japan’s first-ever regional summit in Tokyo. 2. Participating (and winning) IWBI workplace wellbeing challenges. 3. Hosting the first WELL and GRESB Social Sustainability Roundtable. 4. Facilitating two indigenous design workshops through CoreNet Global - Australia Chapter. There were also many notable projects in the region, including Queensland Ballet, the first performing arts center to achieve WELL Certification globally. Read on to learn about this project and more: https://ow.ly/fIa750UoJlz #WeAreWELL#AsiaPacific