2degrees aims high with ambition to be the first NZ company to gain WELL Certification

Delivered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the WELL Building Standard (WELL) assesses the key elements of a building and an organisation’s wellbeing practices that have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of people.

2degrees CEO Mark Aue said the move to the new building provided the telco with a unique opportunity to shape the way it works, and that WELL Certification was vital to that.

“We have a special culture at 2degrees, with our people and their wellbeing central to the great service experience we deliver to customers every day. The health of the building they are in, and what it allows them to access is an important part of that. That has never been more top of mind as our people navigate through the various Covid-19 alert levels. People are being strategic with their time in the office and using it for tasks that rely on connection and collaboration with their workmates. We’re aware of the importance of creating spaces for this especially as it contributes to wellbeing and positive mental health,” said Mr Aue.

Mark said that to obtain certification, the new building would include elements such as enhanced air quality, sound mapping, considered lighting design, restorative spaces, and many other positive wellbeing features that have been cleverly designed within the fitout.

“We have a diverse group of more than 700 people who will be using this building. Everyone from our Network Operations through to our 100% local Kiwi call centre. Catering for a range of needs is no small task, but it’s one we’re hugely enthused about,” he said.

WELL was developed by integrating scientific and medical information on environmental health, behavioural factors, health outcomes and demographic risk factors that affect health alongside leading practices in building design and management.

“We're proud to welcome 2degrees to our global community as the first single asset project in New Zealand to register for WELL Certification,” said IWBI President Rachel Gutter.

“Our mission at IWBI is to bring human health and wellness to the forefront of building and organisational practices, and it is early adopters like 2degrees that are putting people at the centre of design decisions and helping to advance this movement in New Zealand and throughout the region”.

2degrees will occupy two floors of the 136 Fanshawe Street building, which will be home to the company’s 700-plus Auckland-based head office and customer care staff, who are currently based Newmarket.

The building, which is currently under construction by Mansons Ltd, is also targeting a Green Star 6-star rating.

The criteria for WELL Certification fall into three buckets: behavioural, operational and design. An organisation is measured against 10 WELL concepts:

WELL operates on a points-based system. Some features are mandatory (preconditions) and some are optional (optimisations). All 110 optimisations are assigned a point value based on their potential for impact. Each project must meet the preconditions as well as a certain number of points to earn different levels of certification. More information on the standard and measurement criteria is available at the WELL Website: https://v2.wellcertified.com/v/en/overview