ITOKI CORPORATION ITOKI TOKYO XORK (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Yoshiro Hirai) has received "Preliminary Certification" from Green Business Certification Inc. Inc. ("GBCI"), an independent third-party WELL certification body, as of September 14, 2018.

In October 2018, Itoki launched a new style of work based on the theme of "FREE," in which workers employees maximize their own discretion and workers design their own work style autonomously, with the aim of creating new value by improving organizational productivity and creativity, and achieving wellbeing by improving employee work engagement. We have launched XORK Style, a new way of working based on the theme of "FREE," in which employees design their own way of working autonomously, maximizing their own discretion. In addition, we have opened our new headquarters office ITOKI TOKYO XORK (Zork) in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, equipped with spatial functions and space quality that support this new way of working. This preliminary certification has demonstrated through an international evaluation system the usefulness and effectiveness of the ITOKI TOKYO XORK office design in maintaining the physical and mental health of employees who practice an active and free work style.

Going forward, we will continue to work towards obtaining this certification, and through implementing the new XORK Style of work, we will utilize the knowledge and know-how we gain to propose new offices to our customers.

WELL certification is the world's first building and indoor environment evaluation system that focuses on the health and comfort of people who live and work in buildings, and was created based on seven years of rigorous research and development by the International WELL Building Institute. A major feature of the system is that it is verified not only from the perspective of environmental engineering but also from the perspective of medicine as a standard for objectively evaluating buildings that are comfortable, safe, and healthy for people.

This time, ITOKI was evaluated on a total of 98 items, including 36 required items and 62 additional items that measure the degree of consideration for comfort, safety, and health in the seven fields of (1) air, (2) water, (3) food, (4) light, (5) fitness, (6) comfort, and (7) mind. GBCI, a third-party certification organization, conducts rigorous evaluations, and certifications are awarded in descending order of the number of points acquired: Platinum, Gold, or Silver. ITOKI has achieved the "Gold Level," which is given to companies that meet or exceed 40% of the 36 required items and 62 additional items.

As of the end of October 2018, there are 1,020 registered WELL certification projects worldwide, of which 131 have been certified. In Japan, of the 10 registered projects, only one has been certified. However, due to the growing interest in work style reform and health and productivity management, this number is expected to increase further in the future.

ITOKI CORPORATION will relocate and consolidate its Tokyo office to Nihonbashi, Tokyo in the fall of 2018. By improving productivity, efficiency, and creativity, the company will embody its mission statement of "We Design Tomorrow. We Design WORK-Style." and realize work style reform in the office environment. The ITOKI Tokyo Innovation Center SYNQA (Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo) will continue to be used as a space for active interaction both inside and outside the company, and to stimulate the creation of new knowledge.

ITOKI TOKYO XORK teaser site