KMC Becomes First Globally to Earn Triple WELL Ratings

In the landscape of commercial real estate, where flexibility and sustainability increasingly shape boardroom decisions, one Philippine company has achieved a milestone that redefines global workplace standards.

On June 4, 2025, KMC Solutions became the first company in the world to secure three WELL certifications portfolio-wide—the WELL Coworking Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rating, and WELL Equity Rating. The recognition was awarded by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), a global authority in measuring how built environments impact human health and performance.

With over 30+ flexible workspaces across the Philippines, KMC’s achievement signals more than progress in design. It marks a strategic shift toward environments that prioritize well-being, safety, and inclusivity—a direction increasingly aligned with global investment and labor trends.

What Is WELL Certification?

At its core, WELL Certification is a global benchmark that measures how effectively a building supports human health. Developed over years of medical, scientific, and architectural research, the WELL framework evaluates real estate against ten evidence-based categories: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, and Community.

To receive certification, buildings undergo independent, third-party assessments—from air quality tests and operational audits to policy evaluations and user experience reviews. The goal: create spaces that actively support both physical and psychological health.

For employers and tenants, this translates to a quantifiable way of ensuring that their office environment works in favor of their workforce.

Inside the WELL Ratings: A Framework for Physical, Operational, and Social Performance

The WELL Coworking Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rating, and WELL Equity Rating are three distinct yet deeply interrelated certifications. Together, they evaluate how a workspace performs across physical, operational, and social dimensions—providing a comprehensive view of what it means to foster a high-functioning, human-centered office environment.

• WELL Coworking Rating – Developed in partnership with The Instant Group, this rating evaluates shared spaces against 50+ features designed to support physical and mental well-being. Criteria include air and water quality, lighting, movement, access to nourishing food, physical fitness, collaborative zones, and maintenance and operational policies aimed at enhancing health.

• WELL Health-Safety Rating – This certification focuses on the procedural backbone of a company’s workplace operations. It verifies policies, maintenance practices, and emergency preparedness—particularly those affecting indoor air and water safety, cleaning protocols, health resources, and stakeholder communication. The rating is especially relevant in a post-pandemic environment where confidence in physical space is key to operational continuity.

• WELL Equity Rating – Perhaps the most forward-looking of the three, this framework allows organizations to prioritize accessibility, inclusion, and belonging. It examines how both physical design and internal policies shape workplace experience—especially for underrepresented groups. The rating emphasizes the importance of equitable access, diverse representation, and a culture of psychological safety.

KMC Solutions earned the WELL Health-Safety Rating and WELL Equity Rating in 2023—becoming the first company in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve Equity designation portfolio-wide. In 2025, following the global launch of the WELL Coworking Rating, KMC secured this third recognition, establishing its position as the first company worldwide to achieve all three certifications across its full suite of flexible workspaces.

What This Means for Executives and Enterprise Tenants

For decision-makers managing workforce performance, ESG alignment, and long-term operational risk, WELL Certification offers clear business value:

• Compliance with ESG and DEI standards- WELL’s third-party validation supports public reporting, CSR initiatives, and global sustainability benchmarks.

• Improved employee retention and engagement - Research published in the Journal of Building and Environment (2022) shows that WELL-certified offices lead to a 30% increase in employee satisfaction and reduced absenteeism.

• Enhanced brand and employer positioning - Modern professionals, especially Gen Z and millennial talent, increasingly evaluate workplaces based on values. WELL-certified spaces offer a built-in response to this shift.

• Operational resilience and risk mitigation - WELL Health-Safety Rating protocols can reduce downtime, increase trust in return-to-office policies, and create consistency across multiple locations.

KMC’s achievement highlights the growing importance of workspace design not only as a matter of function or aesthetics, but as a cornerstone of organizational performance.

Inside KMC’s WELL-Certified Spaces

Across KMC’s 30+ locations in BGC, Ortigas, Makati, Mandaluyong, and Cebu, the WELL philosophy is embedded in both the physical and procedural DNA of each workspace.

Key features include:

• High-efficiency air filtration systems

• Circadian lighting for improved focus and sleep cycles

• Noise-dampening architecture for acoustic comfort

• Inclusive and universally accessible design elements

• Policy frameworks that emphasize psychological safety and community belonging

As Michael McCullough, CEO and co-founder of KMC Solutions, explains:

“We are incredibly proud to be the first in the world to achieve these three WELL ratings across our entire portfolio,”

The Broader Shift: From Real Estate to Human Infrastructure

KMC’s triple WELL certification represents a decisive moment in the evolution of workplace standards. As organizations rethink their operational footprint, the value of office space is increasingly tied to its capacity to support human performance, rather than its square footage or location alone.

Workplaces that promote health, equity, and resilience are now influencing business decisions across industries. WELL Certification offers a structured, measurable approach to meeting this expectation—especially for companies managing regional expansion, hybrid models, or ESG reporting obligations.

KMC’s achievement affirms that transformation is not theoretical—it is already underway. And for the Philippine business community, it demonstrates that global leadership in workplace innovation can emerge from within our own borders.