The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and ISSA have launched the Healthy Workplaces Coalition.
The new coalition consists of nearly 40 U.S. organizations, industry leaders, and trade associations collaborating to support and advance federal policy aimed at helping businesses and organizations better afford and implement health and safety improvements in workplaces and across the built environment to benefit the health and well-being of employees, customers, and the public.
Members of this new advocacy coalition launched will work together to not only support federal policy promoting healthy workplaces but also raise awareness using a collective voice to help the public, policymakers, and businesses understand the imperative of workplace health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
In addition to IWBI and ISSA, the coalition’s leadership team includes the following steering committee members:
- American Institute of Architects (AIA)
- ASHRAE
- American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
- Building Owners and Managers Association International (BOMA)
- Green Seal
- International Facilities Management Association (IFMA)
- The Real Estate Roundtable (RER)
- U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
“While COVID-19 increased the public’s attention to the importance of cleaning, air filtration, and hand hygiene, there is now an increased focus and commitment by businesses and buildings to invest in healthy spaces,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett.
“As more workers head back to physical workplaces, the demand and expectation for clean, healthy, and safe environments will continue to increase. This coalition will help to educate policymakers about the need to support policies to help employers make these essential investments in healthy workplaces.”
“For the first time, many of the nation’s most important building organizations and leading businesses are uniting to advocate for workplace health,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of IWBI. “This kind of collaborative advocacy will help drive the level of investment necessary to get us safely back to business now and fortify our workplaces for the future.”
Businesses need education and financial assistance to accelerate and deploy proven workplace solutions and strategies to address health threats such as COVID-19 as well as broader health and safety-related issues of the future. While several relevant policy proposals have emerged, further action is needed to incentivize businesses to create and maintain healthy workplaces.
ISSA members who have already joined the Healthy Workplaces Coalition include Arxada, Fellowes Brands, Honeywell, Kimberly-Clark Professional, Poppy, PortionPac Chemical Corporation, Pritchard Industries, and Spartan Chemical Co.
“Workers are much more cognizant of the spaces they spend time in than they were prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they want viable evidence that the buildings they use every day for work, school or care are healthier and use technology that helps to foster their well-being,” said Manish Sharma, vice president and general manager of sustainable buildings, Honeywell. “We look forward to working with the Healthy Workplaces Coalition to further educate, advocate and support the adoption of federal policy that fosters healthier, more sustainable buildings.”
The coalition continues to welcome interested participants and anticipates that membership will expand over the next several months. Contact ISSA Director of Government Affairs John Nothdurft for more information at johnn@issa.com.
