CoreNet Global's What's Next Podcast

This presentation will define ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) for CRE professionals and dive into where and how they intersect. For ESG, we’ll unpack how this investing jargon has become a must-have department across the Fortune 500. We’ll debunk some common misconceptions, and explain how to think about Scopes 1, 2, and 3. What will you have to report and when? And how will it change the CRE world? For workplace change, we’ll take a clear-eyed look at where the trends are headed. The office isn’t dead, but it’s never going back to the way it was. As anyone who’s been in the industry long enough knows, change is the only constant. We may be trading cubicles for cafes, but we still need a communal place to work. And finally, we’ll thread the two ideas together: When businesses and governments are preparing their workplaces for the future, how can they do so in a sustainable way? How do we get CRE, facilities, sustainability, and communications on the same page, and how do we help create a future of work that works for everyone?

“Zoom out” on workplace wellness programs as not just a recruitment/retention amenity but a significant component of a balanced workplace with proven ROI. On-site programs assist with RTO goals and extending components of wellness programs to the remote workforce reinforces community and belonging. Employee wellness programs – focused on whole person health - range from on-site activities such as fitness programs and screenings to subsidized gym memberships, access to mental health professionals, etc. These programs are listed as amenities and considered cost centers administered by the benefits department. This view is outdated. A key emerging trend, backed by clinical data, is viewing individual wellness in a holistic manner. Leadership needs to be fully engaged in this journey. This discussion will explore, with the audience, the options available for a greater workplace focus on wellness.

In the post-pandemic world of so-called hybrid working, shaped by radical changes to the nature of work, the purpose and role of the office within organisations is changing. Truly inclusive workplaces are now required that address the needs of a much wider range of stakeholders and factors. Find out how Open Society Foundations tackled this challenge for their new London office.

We transformed the Liberty Group campus in Braamfontein, South Africa, in 2022 using the 4th Place design philosophy, and achieved incredible results on a limited budget, creating a fit-for-purpose enabling workplace for the Liberty employees. We learned valuable lessons around strategic alignment, operationalizing the hybrid construct and creating connected communities, and human-centered evidence-based design, all whilst ensuring we remain true to our group purpose of: “Africa is our Home, We Drive Her Growth”.

In this captivating session, Sony's Robert Pickral will delve into the pivotal theme of "Technology for the People-Centric Workplace - What Really Matters."

Advanced technologies tend to exist beyond real-world application for a while, as most of us teeter on the cusp existing somewhere in the middle of the bell curve of tech adoption—including an on-going practice of tinkering with our audio settings on virtual calls. There has been a cacophony of thoughts around Metaverse, neuroscience, and even whispers of quantum computing, and yet they still seem so intangible to the impact that they have on our workday. Though, with endless rising technologies, we can no longer be ensconced in the middle-of-the-road tech adoption to remain competitive. As hybrid continues to manifest, the pressure to build an ‘always on’ and a destination of choice workplace experience will require a smarter operational program that is continually optimized to differentiate commercial real estate portfolios. At an enterprise level, adding a new tech or data platform that solves for one organizational challenge can quickly generate a dozen more if a tailored program hasn’t been considered. Today, a greater variety of technology and data tools are available and with it has bred a strong desire for simplicity. How do we distill these newfangled tech concepts and bridge these two worlds together to bring the latest technologies into our workplace and have them complement—and not compete against—each other? What are the best technologies out there that bring value across an organization at scale? What are the outcomes of having a unified tech approach?

Sound is one of the most important parts of how people perceive their surroundings – and yet it’s usually left out of the design experience. It’s time for buildings to have a soundtrack, according to Layne Braunstein, Leader, Creative, at ESI Design, an NBBJ studio. In this session, Braunstein, who has created multisensory experiences for brands like Google, Sonos, and Microsoft, will explore how new technologies are making it possible for buildings and spaces to harness the power of sound to create feelings of calm, excitement, or nostalgia, increase productivity and well-being, and even create hyper-personalized experiences that respond directly to your current mood.

Meetings and events are essential to running a successful business. Transforming the way employees feel and utilizing your office spaces can increase workplace engagement, re-energize team collaboration, and improve alignment on key company goals to drive growth. By creating events held on campus organizations can effectively reduce employee turnover, and heighten the sense of organizational culture and connection that encourages employees back into the office as much as possible. With the global shift in workplace behaviors, companies are seeking technology enablement as a tool to increase efficiencies and maximize utilization in the organization’s portfolio.

Making the Commercial Real Estate Industry More Resilient Now and into the Future! In this panel, the audience will learn about the new SEC Climate Change Disclosure Rule and the new ASTM Property Resilience Assessment Standard. These new initiatives are going to fundamentally and dramatically change portfolio risk management, new acquisition due diligence, TCFD/ESG Reporting, facility/asset management, and loan/insurance underwriting.

As leaders in commercial real estate, we have been tasked over the years to strategize about portfolios, oversee planning, design to construction, forecast and analyze facility needs and the list goes on based on our role in industry. These demands, however, continue to increase and the stakes have never been higher! Those stakes; Employee attraction, engagement, and retention. A vital part of the talent conversation today is the ability to elevate a sense of connectedness and purpose for our current and prospective talent OR risk losing out on that talent for and within our organizations. As real estate leaders and industry professionals, how do we do this and why does our role matter in this conversation? Isn't this a human resources issue? No way – let’s shift our perspective - as commercial real estate leaders and industry professionals, Let's Give Them Something to Talk About! Let’s explore, discover and define how to further impact and elevate a greater sense of connectedness and purpose for our employees; specifically focusing in and around holistic well-being and sustainability strategies within our corporate real estate portfolio. We will peal back the opportunities that each one of us have before us to ignite an engaged workplace through leadership, strategy and discover ways our own individual physical real estate can play a role. Let’s Give Them Purpose to Talk About!