Nucleus Office Parks: How India’s biggest real estate firm is putting people first
Learn more about how Nucleus Office Parks became the first and the largest WELL at scale portfolio globally to achieve the WELL Performance Rating
Nucleus Office Parks manages over 20 million square feet of Grade A commercial real estate assets across India. This sector-leading size provides Nucleus Office Parks a unique opportunity to change not only the way 120,000-plus people work in their office parks but also to change the conversation and set an industry standard for people-first workplaces.
Jiji Thomas, Head of ESG, at Nucleus Office Parks understands this responsibility, and he welcomes it. He sat down with us to discuss what that means, and how it’s shaping Nucleus Office Parks’ approach.
Why did you choose to pursue the WELL Performance Rating under the WELL at scale program?
We take the health and well-being of our occupants very seriously. That starts with providing a healthy and supportive environment. The WELL Performance Rating and applying WELL at scale provided us with an established roadmap for implementing and verifying the successes of impactful programs, policies and design choices. A thoughtfully crafted environment — like the kind we strive to provide — supports physical, mental and emotional well-being, which can have powerful downstream effects on productivity and morale.
How does Nucleus Office Park think about sustainability as it impacts the health of people and the planet?
Sustainability, human health and the environment are all interdependent. As a real estate company, our actions have a great potential to affect both human health and the environment. We see sustainability as a crucial element of our organizational strategy. But a good environment is measured, not just in energy saved, but in impacts made. A sustainable workplace, designed with the people who will work there top-of-mind, not only fosters employee well-being but also improves the state of the planet on the whole. We have the opportunity to replicate these successes on a much larger scale – and therefore contribute to make a much larger impact.
How does your focus on health set you apart in the market?
Our dedication to health and well-being sets us apart in the market, showcasing our commitment to prioritize people. By employing the WELL Performance Rating’s evidence-based strategies, we establish workplaces that promote both physical and mental health, resulting in higher productivity and employee contentment. This focus on health not only aids in attracting and retaining exceptional talent but also helps drive better outcomes for our occupants and our organization.
What are your ESG goals for 2023? How do you think about ESG as a cornerstone of your corporate strategy?
Our ESG targets emphasize sustainable energy sources, carbon reduction, responsible water usage, waste management, employee well-being and strong governance practices to demonstrate environmental and social responsibility.
A few of these targets for 2023 include:
- Renewable Energy: Sourcing 75% of our portfolio’s total power consumption from renewable sources
- Carbon Emissions: Obtaining LEED Zero Energy/Carbon rating for 3 assets
- Water: Ensuring 100% internal utilization of treated water
- Waste: Diverting more than 95% of waste from landfills
- Certifications: Obtaining LEED O&M certification for 100% of the operating portfolio
- Social: Wellness: Achieving the WELL Performance Rating for the operating portfolio, focusing on employee well-being
- Governance: Sustainability Ratings: Attaining GRESB Ratings with a score above 90, reflecting strong sustainability practices and performance
We consider ESG factors a cornerstone of our corporate strategy. By integrating sustainability into our operations, prioritizing the well-being of our employees, and upholding strong governance practices, we create long-term value for our stakeholders, mitigate risks, and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Which strategies within WELL have you found most impactful for your people?
Over the past two years, we have focused on providing amenities – breakout zones, a gym, medical centers and general biophilia – to ensure that we address our occupants’ basic needs.
We’ve found that the following strategies from WELL have been most impactful for our people:
How are you seeing your investment in WELL pay back? Can you share any reactions from staff, investors, customers or tenants? Do you have any results you can share as it relates to outcomes and metrics?
According to our regularly conducted surveys, well-being and related concerns have been key drivers for all our stakeholders for some time now. To respond to these needs, we rolled out a number of new initiatives, including:
- A partnership with Apollo to open health clinics across our parks
- The creation of breakout areas amidst lush greenery to prioritize interaction with nature and breaks from office work (One Hive at OWC and Exora, biophilia in all lobbies, etc.)
- Partnerships with various gym operators to provide exercise areas in all our parks.
- Provision of “amenities zones” across our parks, which give occupants places to play games, including pool and table tennis
Our achievement of the WELL Performance Rating is a testament to our efforts and has been extremely well received within our communities, especially by occupants across our commercial office parks. To help ensure we continue meeting and exceeding their needs and expectations on this front, we include specific questions around well-being as part of our customer satisfaction survey, which we conduct in March every year. This enables us to benchmark our performance not just against WELL parameters, but year-over-year, against ourselves, as well, to show how we continue to innovate and improve.
We have been constantly evolving to integrate new technologies and sustainable principles within our core operations. As part of these efforts, we’ve:
- Eliminated unsafe, non-green pesticides from use across our portfolio
- Reused 100% of sewage treatment plant-recycled water
- Made strides toward net-zero carbon at our Trade Tower building in Bengaluru
- Implemented advanced air filtration, temperature controls and other improvements in accordance with the WELL v2 Building Standard
Walk us through customer demand shifts that you have experienced and how you are preparing to meet those demands.
As employees have begun returning to offices, there has been a clear shift in employee priorities toward working for organizations that address their health and well-being needs. Tenants working out of our campuses have been engaging with us to provide feedback on our occupants’ changing needs and how best we can work together to provide a safe, sustainable and productive environment. The WELL Performance Rating is a clear signal to occupants that their physical and mental well-being are not just important to us, but they are also important to how we design and operate our parks. The WELL Performance Rating stickers at the entrances help provide peace of mind every day you walk into work in one of our parks.
How can investing in health pay back for your business? Explore more client stories to find out.
