Royal London awarded Platinum level WELL Certification for 80 Fen office

Royal London has achieved WELL Certification at the Platinum level for its colleague workspace at 80 Fenchurch Street in London – the highest level of certification under the WELL Building Standard (WELL v2)¹, as awarded by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI).

The WELL Building Standard focuses on the belief that workplaces should be developed with people’s health and wellness at the centre of the design, and the assessment includes over 100 criteria points that are applied. Some examples of features supporting the certification at 80 Fenchurch Street include:

• the installation of natural materials, such as timber and cork, with all timbers being sustainably sourced and designed to minimise waste
• design elements that enhance the physical comfort of employees, including specific temperature initiatives and lighting design that mimics natural lighting qualities
• 'biophilic' design features to help create a connection to nature, which are considered beneficial to reducing stress and improving wellbeing.

There are four levels of WELL Certification: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Royal London’s workspace at 80 Fenchurch Street is the fifth project in the UK to be certified Platinum under WELL v2.  

Commenting on the certification, Darren Smith, Procurement and Workplace Director at Royal London said:

"Attaining this level of certification is a huge achievement and demonstrates our commitment to creating a healthy and supportive environment for both colleagues and visitors. It reflects our focus on creating inclusive workplaces that support our colleagues' physical and mental health, and on actively promoting the importance of wellbeing in the workplace.  

"WELL combines best practices in design, construction and operations with evidence-based scientific research. Beyond the physical features of our 80 Fenchurch Street office, our people policies, the colleague benefits we provide, and the operational processes we follow are all developed to help keep our workplaces safer and healthier."

Royal London worked to achieve the certification with support and guidance from external partners: Overbury², a leading UK fit-out and refurbishment specialist that delivered the project at the 80 Fenchurch Street premises; and Wallace Whittle Limited³, an environmental building and engineering services consultancy that provided mechanical and electrical engineering services for the project.