Inspired by Giving, WELL AP Growth Crosses 100 Borders

NEW YORK, April 14, 2021 /3BL Media/ - The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) announced today that the WELL Accredited Professionals (WELL AP) are now in more than 100 countries worldwide, representing 26% geographical growth in the past 12 months. Additionally, the number of individuals who have registered for or achieved the WELL AP credential shot up by a significant 72% in the same time frame now exceeding 17,000 participants in the program.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, to build the knowledge and capacity the market would need when getting back to business, IWBI announced a major initiative to lower the WELL AP exam registration fees by 50% with a commitment to donate 20% of the reduced registration fees to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in support of first responders combatting COVID-19 and promoting health equity globally. IWBI further reduced WELL AP registration fees for students and displaced workers to $99.  

“Providing special pricing during the pandemic for individuals taking the WELL AP exam and contributing a portion of these fees to MSF was amongst our proudest accomplishments during the pandemic,” said Rachel Hodgdon, IWBI President and CEO,” noting that “the $100,000 contribution put IWBI in the top echelon of corporate supporters to MSF’s global humanitarian mission.”

"Over the past 50 years, MSF has grown from 300 volunteers to 45,000-people strong, delivering medical humanitarian aid to the people who need it the most," said Avril Benoît, executive director of MSF in the United States. "Last year, our teams reacted quickly to respond to the pandemic and its consequences in over 70 countries. Behind our life-saving work are our donors, like IWBI, whose generosity fuels our provision of urgently needed medicine, supplies, and dedicated staff to tackle outbreaks, assist with maternal care, or conduct lifesaving surgeries in the most challenging conditions." 

Acknowledging WELL is crossing major milestones in all aspects, Hodgdon pointed out that the global market needs more knowledgeable professionals to scale the WELL movement, and WELL AP, a leadership designation, is a signal of mastery of the WELL Building Standard and its people first approach to creating the spaces and buildings where we spend our lives in ways that advance and enhance our health and well-being. 

“There’s never been a better time to get educated on WELL as a way to invest in your career and advance evidence-based solutions that benefit organizations and communities everywhere,” Hodgdon continued. “It is exciting to see WELL APs in more than 100 countries worldwide and our community continues to grow exponentially.”

When IWBI kicked off the giving-back initiative in April 2020, WELL APs were in 80 countries or regions. The number of individuals in the credential program just exceeded the 10,000 mark. As of April 2021, over 17,000 professionals from 101 countries have either registered for or achieved the WELL AP credential.

IWBI has extended the pricing discount into 2021 as the world still grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. To help candidates prepare for the WELL AP exams, IWBI encourages people to take advantage of the free of charge and on-demand virtual training series taught by WELL Faculty member, Alex Spilger, of Cushman and Wakefield, on the WELL Building Standard and features in its seven WELL v1 concepts. For those planning to align with the latest version of the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, they can register now with the discount pricing and take the new WELL AP exam starting September 2021.

More information about the discount offering can be found here.

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 wellbeing everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

International WELL Building Institute pbc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delos. 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.