PwC Middle East announced today that it has been awarded WELL Certification at the Platinum level for its PwC Dubai office in Emaar Square by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). The prestigious distinction was awarded through IWBI’s WELL v2, the latest version of the WELL Building Standard. WELL is the premier building standard to focus on enhancing people’s health and well-being through the buildings where we live, work and play.
Created through seven years of rigorous research and development working with leading physicians, scientists, and industry professionals, the WELL Building Standard is a performance-based certification system that marries best practices in design and construction with evidence-based scientific research. PwC Dubai office in Emaar Square earned the distinction based on ten categories of building performance — Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind and Community — and achieved WELL Certification at the Platinum level. IWBI is the leading authority for transforming health and well-being with its people-first approach to buildings, organisations and communities.
Hamish Clark, Chief Wellness Officer at PwC Middle East said: “We are delighted to receive this Well Certification which is testament to the inspiring hard work from our teams to help design and create a healthy, dynamic and positive working environment for our people and our clients.”
Project features that helped PwC Dubai office in Emaar Square achieve its WELL Certified Platinum designation include:
- Providing nourishment opportunities limiting sugars and oil, enhancing nutritional transparency and ingredient labeling for alternative food choices to individuals with dietary restrictions or food allergies.
- Arranging and promoting regular physical activity and exercise at no cost to all our employees on a monthly basis and have incorporated a staircase within the building premises to promote regular movement and circulation.
- Providing our people with mental health screening and coverage.
- In partnership with Lighthouse Arabia, we have trained over 175 Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) across the Middle East offices and over 90 MHFAs in the Dubai office with the necessary skills to identify and support someone who is experiencing a mental health challenge.
- Building designated areas for alternative use such as a wellness room to rejuvenate, an on-site clinic for emergencies and the provision of health services, a rooftop for social gathering and sports activities as well as showers.
- Designating lactation rooms with supportive design and amenities, as well as initiatives and educational opportunities that help women initiate and sustain breastfeeding.
“PwC Middle East exemplifies true leadership, showcasing a commitment to healthy workplaces with its WELL Certified Platinum office at Emaar Square,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). “This is the largest WELL Certified office space in the UAE, anchoring PwC’s global prioritization of the well-being of its employees.”
WELL is grounded in evidence-based research that explores the connection between the buildings where we spend approximately 90 percent of our time, and the health and well-being impacts on the people inside these buildings. To be awarded WELL Certification by IWBI, PwC Dubai office in Emaar Square underwent rigorous testing and a final evaluation carried out by third parties to ensure it met all WELL Certified Platinum performance requirements.
