What is the primary objective of **WELL**?

**The primary objective of WELL is to design, operate, and measure buildings and spaces to advance human health and well-being through evidence-based performance outcomes.** Administered by the **International WELL Building Institute (IWBI)**, **WELL v2** structures requirements across **10 concepts**—**Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, and Community**—plus **Innovation**. It mandates **24 Preconditions** (pass/fail minimums) and enables points via **102 Optimizations** for certification tiers: **Bronze (40 points)**, **Silver (50 points, min 1 per concept)**, **Gold (60 points, min 2 per concept)**, **Platinum (80 points, min 3 per concept)**.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **WELL**?

**WELL is a voluntary certification with no legal mandates, but professionally pursued by building owners, developers, operators, and tenants seeking verified health performance.** It applies to **new and existing buildings** via pathways like **WELL Certification** (owner-controlled), **WELL Core** (base buildings, ≥75% leased), and **WELL for Residential**. Corporate real estate executives, facilities managers, and ESG leaders adopt it for occupant health, productivity, and market differentiation across offices, hospitality, education, and healthcare.

Does **WELL** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**Yes, WELL mandates third-party documentation review and on-site performance verification (PV) by authorized WELL Performance Testing Agents.** This includes two rounds of review (preliminary/final) via IWBI's platform, plus PV testing for air, water, light, thermal comfort, and sound at ≥50% occupancy. **Preconditions** require pass/fail validation; **Optimizations** earn points post-verification.

How often should an assessment for **WELL** be performed?

**WELL certification requires recertification every three years, with annual reporting for select features like air quality monitoring.** Ongoing assessments use continuous monitoring pathways (e.g., **CO₂ ≤900 ppm**) and occupant surveys. Pre-testing is recommended pre-PV for high-risk features (e.g., Air near highways, Water in legacy pipes).

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **WELL**?

**Non-compliance results in certification denial, with no direct legal penalties as WELL is voluntary, but failed PV triggers curative reviews and fees.** Operationally, it risks reputational damage, lost ESG value, tenant churn, and remediation costs (e.g., HVAC upgrades). Recertification gaps void status after three years.

Can **WELL** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**No, these WELL FAQs provide standalone guidance without mappings to other frameworks.** WELL's IWBI resources offer concept-specific tools internally.

What is the first step to begin implementing **WELL**?

**The first step is project enrollment/registration on the IWBI digital platform and scorecard development targeting certification tier.** Conduct a **Precondition gap analysis** across 10 concepts, prioritizing high-risk features (e.g., **A01 Air Quality**, **T01 Thermal Comfort**) with optional pre-testing.

What is the primary objective of **GRI**?

**The primary objective of GRI is to provide a global common language for organizations to report their significant economic, environmental, and social impacts, enabling accountability and sustainable decision-making.** GRI Standards, governed by the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB), emphasize impact materiality through Universal Standards (GRI 1: Foundation 2021, GRI 2: General Disclosures 2021, GRI 3: Material Topics 2021), Sector Standards, and Topic Standards like GRI 403: Occupational Health and Safety.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **GRI**?

**No organization is legally required to comply with GRI, as it is a voluntary framework, though it is widely adopted by large corporates for stakeholder accountability.** Over 73% of G250 companies and 67% of N100 firms use GRI per KPMG 2020 data; it applies universally across sizes, sectors, and geographies, especially high-impact sectors with Sector Standards (e.g., Oil & Gas, Mining).

Does **GRI** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**GRI does not require external audit or third-party certification, but mandates verifiability through a GRI Content Index and reporting principles like accuracy, balance, and traceability.** GRI 1: Foundation embeds these; external assurance on disclosures like GRI 403-8 (OHS system coverage) enhances credibility but remains optional.

How often should an assessment for **GRI** be performed?

**GRI materiality assessments under GRI 3 must be performed ongoing, independent of annual reporting cycles, following a four-step process: understand context, identify impacts, assess significance, prioritize.** Highest governance body oversight is required; integrate Sector Standards for likely material topics.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **GRI**?

**Non-compliance with GRI carries no direct penalties as it is voluntary, but risks reputational damage, stakeholder distrust, and misalignment with regulations referencing GRI.** Omissions must be explained in the Content Index; poor reporting undermines verifiability and balance principles.

Can **GRI** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, GRI can be mapped to other international frameworks, with official guidance like the GRI-SASB practical guide emphasizing complementary use.** GRI focuses on impact materiality for broad stakeholders; mappings support interoperability without substitution.

What is the first step to begin implementing **GRI**?

**The first step to implement GRI is to apply GRI 1: Foundation 2021, understanding "in accordance" requirements, reporting principles, and preparing the GRI Content Index.** Follow with GRI 2 general disclosures and GRI 3 materiality process.

WELL vs GRI | GRADUM

Standards Comparison

WELL

Voluntary

2014

Certification framework for occupant health and well-being in buildings

GRI

Voluntary

2021

Global framework for sustainability impact reporting

Quick Verdict

WELL certifies buildings for occupant health via performance testing, while GRI enables sustainability impact reporting through materiality assessments. Companies adopt WELL for health-focused differentiation and GRI for stakeholder accountability and ESG compliance.

Building Health & Wellness

WELL

WELL Building Standard v2

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

High

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Mandatory on-site performance verification testing
Preconditions pass/fail plus point-based Optimizations
10 core concepts for occupant health domains
Certification tiers Bronze to Platinum with balances
Continuous monitoring pathways for ongoing compliance

Sustainability Reporting

GRI

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

High

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Modular Universal, Sector, and Topic Standards
Impact-based materiality assessment process
Mandatory GRI Content Index for verifiability
Value chain disclosures including suppliers
Interoperable with SASB and regulatory frameworks

Detailed Analysis

A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

WELL Details

What It Is

WELL Building Standard v2 is a performance-based certification framework administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). It focuses on designing, operating, and verifying buildings to advance human health and well-being through evidence-based strategies. Its people-first approach uses 10 core concepts like Air, Water, and Mind, with mandatory Preconditions and optional Optimizations for scoring.

Key Components

24 Preconditions (pass/fail) and 102 Optimizations across Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, Community, plus Innovation.
**Certification tiersBronze (40 points), Silver (50), Gold (60), Platinum (80), with concept balance rules.
Built on public health research; requires on-site verification and continuous monitoring options.

Why Organizations Use It

Drives occupant productivity, reduces absenteeism, enhances ESG reporting, and boosts rents/asset value. Voluntary but complements LEED for dual benefits; manages health risks and builds stakeholder trust.

Implementation Overview

Phased: gap analysis, scorecard, documentation, third-party verification, operations. Applies to new/existing buildings across industries; involves cross-functional teams, pre-testing, recertification every 3 years.

GRI Details

What It Is

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards are the world's most used sustainability reporting framework. They enable organizations to disclose significant impacts on economy, environment, and people using an impact-centric materiality approach, prioritizing actual/potential effects over financial materiality alone.

Key Components

Universal Standards (GRI 1: Foundation, GRI 2: General Disclosures, GRI 3: Material Topics): Baseline requirements including principles like accuracy, balance, verifiability.
**Sector StandardsLikely material topics for high-impact sectors (e.g., Oil & Gas, Mining).
**Topic StandardsSpecific metrics/disclosures (e.g., GRI 403: Occupational Health & Safety). Compliance via modular "in accordance" reporting with mandatory GRI Content Index; no formal certification.

Why Organizations Use It

Drives accountability, comparability, regulatory alignment (e.g., EU CSRD), stakeholder trust. Benefits include risk management, benchmarking, investor appeal via SASB interoperability, and operational improvements in HES.

Implementation Overview

Phased: executive alignment, materiality assessment (GRI 3), data architecture, disclosures, assurance. Applies to all sizes/sectors/geographies; voluntary but assurance-ready for audits.

Key Differences

Aspect	WELL	GRI
Scope	Building design, operations, occupant health/well-being	Sustainability impacts on economy, environment, people
Industry	All building types globally, new/existing	All industries/sectors worldwide, any organization
Nature	Voluntary performance-based certification	Voluntary modular reporting standards
Testing	Mandatory on-site performance verification/testing	Documentation review, optional external assurance
Penalties	Certification denial/revocation, no legal penalties	No penalties, reputational/regulatory risks

Scope

WELL

Building design, operations, occupant health/well-being

GRI

Sustainability impacts on economy, environment, people

Industry

WELL

All building types globally, new/existing

GRI

All industries/sectors worldwide, any organization

Nature

WELL

Voluntary performance-based certification

GRI

Voluntary modular reporting standards

Testing

WELL

Mandatory on-site performance verification/testing

GRI

Documentation review, optional external assurance

Penalties

WELL

Certification denial/revocation, no legal penalties

GRI

No penalties, reputational/regulatory risks

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about WELL and GRI

WELL FAQ

GRI FAQ

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WELL

GRI

Quick Verdict

WELL

Key Features

GRI

Key Features

Detailed Analysis

WELL Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

GRI Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

Key Differences

Scope

Industry

Nature

Testing

Penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

WELL FAQ

What is the primary objective of WELL?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with WELL?

Does WELL require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for WELL be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with WELL?

Can WELL be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing WELL?

GRI FAQ

What is the primary objective of GRI?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with GRI?

Does GRI require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for GRI be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with GRI?

Can GRI be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing GRI?

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