Towards the end of 2021, the International Well Building Institute (IWBI) announced that over three billion square feet of spaces were enrolled in their WELL program. This meant that, over the course of the past year, the number of enrolled spaces tripled. In addition, it was revealed that 20% of all Fortune 500 companies have enrolled in the program.
As IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon observed, the tailwinds behind the WELL strategies have grown exponentially since its start. Today, WELL strategies support the health and wellbeing of an estimated 13.6 million people in more than 33,000 locations in nearly 100 countries, making WELL the leading global framework for health scaling across building, organizations and communities.
In addition, a considerable number of innovations have been developed to answer geographical and cultural health concerns across communities. Countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) are currently leading adoption with 3,000 WELL projects taking place in total, with governmental entities helping drive an 18% increase.
“As the world continues to grapple with our current public health crisis, it’s no coincidence we are seeing enormous demand for WELL’s holistic approach to applying the science of how physical and social environments can affect human health, well-being and performance,” said Hodgdon. “Organizations around the world are leveraging WELL to implement evidence-based strategies, set human and social capital performance goals, track progress and celebrate impact.”
IWBI Continues to Grow Strategies and Outreach Alongside Adoption
Part of the growth has been fostered by IWBI’s WELL Accredited Professionals (WELL APs) who have helped guide and promote WELL strategies in their respective organizations. The ever-growing community now totals 20,000 with IWBI having ramped up its efforts to better facilitate healthy investments moving forward.
Tools like its Investment for Health Platform allow businesses to better understand the value of health within an organization. Meanwhile, continued research into the underpinnings of WELL have helped the institute address key research gaps while providing sector-specific strategies that balance the needs of research and policy.
Additionally, the recently released WELL Performance Rating allows companies to proactively grow and evolve their health and wellness strategies based on individual metrics. This, combined with new strategies on the horizon, show that IWBI intends to capture this momentum moving forward, further growing the value and significance of its offering on a global scale.
As of right now, new opportunities already being looked at for a WELL Equity Rating. This rating would be aimed at highlighting locations that are focused on providing health and wellness strategies to individuals across all profiles and backgrounds.
