IWBI Announces IHCC as First in Saudi Arabia to Achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating

(New York, June 23, 2021) – The International WELL Building Institute announced today that IHCC, a leading construction company headquartered in Saudi Arabia, has earned the WELL Health-Safety Rating for its head office, making it the first organization to achieve the rating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. IHCC’s achievement to successfully implement the rating positions the organization as a leader within the Middle East region in support of people’s health, safety and well-being in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WELL Health-Safety Rating is an evidence-based, third-party verified rating for all new and existing building and space types focusing on operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans to help organizations safely get back to business.

“IHCC’s leading efforts to earn the WELL Health-Safety Rating highlight the critical role that buildings, and those that own and operate them, can play in advancing people’s health, safety and well-being,” said IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon. “At IWBI, we are proud to celebrate this achievement with IHCC as they lead the way to help drive transformative action.”

Designed to empower owners and operators across large and small businesses alike to take the necessary steps in order to prioritize the health and safety of their staff, visitors and stakeholders, the WELL Health-Safety Rating can help instil confidence in those who come through the building as well as the broader community.

“The WELL Health-Safety Rating focuses on the most important strategies to address global health challenges now and into the future,” said Paul Scialla, founder of IWBI. “IHCC’s achievement of the WELL Health-Safety Rating is helping pave the way for others throughout the region to support the health and safety of its people. IHCC has implemented important operational interventions backed by scientific evidence to enable their employees to be confident in their workplace and set a strong example for others to follow.”

“Being a leader in providing solutions for sustainability, design-build, and high-performance buildings, IHCC always makes sure that the well-being of its people is an essential part of our purpose, values, and culture. We strongly believe that the health and safety protocols for our people and facilities are embedded as a culture within IHCC,” said IHCC CEO and Chairman Sultan Batterjee. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have noticed that people are not feeling comfortable getting back to workplaces. Therefore, we have made it a priority to be the first building in Saudi Arabia to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating. By achieving this, we are ensuring that our people are comfortable with the safety, health, and standards of our workplaces in IHCC.”

With massive experience since the 1980s, IHCC is well recognized as a leading design-build company in the MENA region with extensive knowledge and experience in delivering turnkey solution projects. IHCC specializes in healthcare, education, and mixed-use projects which include residential, commercial and hospitality developments with the aim to build better communities. GREENER by IHCC, a professional service provider of sustainability and energy efficiency services for buildings and facilities, supported IHCC in delivering the WELL Health-Safety Rating for its head office.

Developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the WELL Health-Safety Rating draws on facilities, maintenance and operations strategies from IWBI’s flagship WELL Building Standard (WELL) to address today’s health and safety needs, and invites organizations to embark on the WELL journey. The strategies within the rating have been informed by the IWBI Task Force on COVID-19, in addition to guidance on the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), global disease control and prevention centers and emergency management agencies, as well as recognized standard-making bodies such as ASTM International and ASHRAE, and leading academic and research institutions.

About the International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the world’s leading organization focused on deploying people first places to advance a global culture of health. IWBI mobilizes its community through the administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL) and the WELL Health-Safety Rating, management of the WELL AP credential, the pursuit of applicable research, the development of educational resources, and advocacy for policies that promote health and well-being everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

International WELL Building Institute pbc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delos Living LLC. International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL Portfolio, WELL Portfolio Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Health-Equity, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute in the United States and other countries.

About IHCC
IHCC is a leading contractor that provides a world-renowned design and build and turnkey solutions specializing in healthcare, education, and mixed-use development projects across the Middle East and North Africa since the early 1980s.
As a leading Saudi Class (A) company, IHCC provides integrated solutions through different business units in various disciplines, covering all components for successful delivery of megaprojects. Being leaders in providing High Performance Buildings Solutions, IHCC acts as single source for integrated turnkey solutions that cover design and engineering, construction, MEP, finishing & fit-out, energy efficiency, building sustainability solutions, facilities management and modular construction. The company experience and capabilities are provided through various schemes including EPC contracts, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and EPC Financing solutions.

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