Aimbridge Hospitality announced that the third-party management company has earned the WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Maintenance at an initial 96 hotels across North America. The company has enrolled an additional 209 hotels to pursue the rating, bringing the total number of its properties in the program to 305 initially, with the goal to grow the number of enrolled hotels in the very near future.
“Aimbridge Hospitality is pleased to bring the benefits of the WELL Health-Safety Rating to hundreds of our hotels, leveraging our scale and expertise to deliver a comprehensive and rigorous approach to wellness, health, and safety standards that will increase confidence and trust among travelers and staff,” said Elie Khoury, executive vice president of operations for Aimbridge Hospitality. “Aimbridge’s leadership is dedicated to accelerating health and safety practices during the COVID-19 era and beyond to meet changing consumer holistic wellness expectations.”
The achievement is the first major milestone of a larger engagement with the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) to advance health and safety in the hospitality sector, address the challenges and expectations presented by COVID-19, and create healthier and safer environments for guests and associates now and in the future.
“While the hospitality sector has been dealt an undeniable blow by the global COVID-19 pandemic, it is companies like Aimbridge Hospitality that are charting the path towards a sustainable and equitable recovery and demonstrating outstanding leadership in advancing people’s health, safety, and well-being,” said Rachel Hodgdon, IWBI president and CEO. “The WELL Health-Safety seal is a mark that signals to guests and employees that evidence-based protocols grounded in science have been adopted at the property and verified by a third-party. We are excited to celebrate this achievement with Aimbridge Hospitality as it prioritizes the health of their guests and employees and provides leadership to the industry and the many communities its properties serve.”
The WELL Health-Safety Rating is an evidence-based, third-party verified rating for all facility types that measures five categories: cleaning and sanitization procedures; emergency preparedness programs; health service resources; air and water quality management; and stakeholder engagement and communications. The rating empowers owners and operators across large and small businesses alike to take the necessary steps to prioritize the health and safety of their staff, visitors, and stakeholders.
Launched in June 2020, the WELL Health-Safety Rating focuses on operational policies, maintenance protocols, emergency plans, and stakeholder engagement strategies to help organizations safely get back to business. Aimbridge’s hotel properties join hundreds of other companies whose enrollments encompass more than 777 million square feet of enrolled space in 26 countries.
Adapted from features in the WELL Building Standard (WELL) that focus on facility maintenance and operations as well as corporate policies and protocols. The WELL Health-Safety Rating has far-reaching applicability for supporting the ongoing health and safety needs of people in a given space, during both normal operating periods and in times of emergencies. Through annual renewal, the rating can help organizations protect the health of their people over the long-term as the situation and the science evolves.
Created by IWBI, the WELL Health-Safety Rating is informed by guidance developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), global disease control and prevention centers and emergency management agencies, recognized standard-making bodies, such as ASTM International and ASHRAE, and leading academic and research institutions. IWBI has leveraged insights from its Task Force on COVID-19, established at the outset of the pandemic, to help business and building leaders integrate actionable insights and proven strategies in the fight against COVID-19 and other respiratory infections.
