The London office of UPP, a provider of on-campus residential accommodation, has been accredited with a ‘Fitwel’ certification for health and wellbeing.

The certification was awarded by Fitwel, a leading certification system committed to ‘building health for all’.

In the Fitwel approach, factors are benchmarked – including a building’s location and accessibility, the quality of the indoor environment for employees and aspects such as how food is prepared, and water supplies are managed

The Fitwel rating is recognised by the New York-based organisation ‘Center for Active Design’ and focuses on acknowledging design and operations strategies which support the physical, mental and social health of occupiers.

Kelly Stafford, Chief Human Resources Officer at UPP, said: “We are thrilled with the certification and it’s a real achievement for our Company, in terms of demonstrating how the working environment helps to meet the needs of colleagues based in, and visiting the building. 

“We are not only supporting the physical, but also the mental health and wellbeing, of our colleagues. It serves to showcase the benefits of in-person collaboration at such an important time as pandemic restrictions are lifted where we are encouraging our staff to rediscover their physical workplace and the positive aspects of working alongside colleagues once again.”

Advice on the fit-out design and ongoing operation of the office for the Fitwel 2-star rating was provided by Element Four, which provides sustainability advice and supports clients to achieve quantifiable financial, environmental and social benefits in office design, management and operation.