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2023 North American Global Summit | Denver

The past 3 years have seen an upheaval around workplace analytics and strategy. Prognosticators abound regarding the “future of work.” This session will look at business and the how, where, and when it happens using the Federal government’s massive real estate portfolio as a reference point and relating it to the general marketplace. The U.S. General Services Administration’s Commissioner of Public Buildings, the Chief Architect, and the CIO, a unified team of visionaries in leadership, design, and technology, will discuss the integration of people, place, and technology in service of mission, return on investment, and the recruitment and retention of talent. The panel will describe how it has moved GSA from traditional linear design to a fully integrated design strategy that at times can be 10% technology and 90% sociology. The session will address change management and the cyber security requirements that are fundamental to integrating technology into the workplace.
Explore insights from the 2023 Deloitte / CoreNet Global survey focused on the future of the CRE Operating model including case studies from several leading CRE organizations.
The events of 2020 catalyzed environmental and social change. ESG was the hottest topic at Davos - World Economic Forum, it’s no longer an emerging trend but a critical component of real estate strategy. A robust circular process of continuous improvement and innovation in an ESG roadmap is critical in positioning an organization to manage its risks, opportunities and effectively measure ESG impact and performance. We are seeing this increasingly in organizations who are making public commitments to meet zero-carbon targets and governments globally enacting new regulations to curb carbon emissions. However, the question remains, are occupiers integrating and actioning impactful ESG programs into their organizations? We will tackle questions like: - What is the current state of your ESG strategy? - What ESG trends and commonalities inform your corporate strategies? - How the move to hybrid working is affecting occupiers ESG strategies? - How can occupiers collaborate to reach their sustainability goals? - What are the existing and forthcoming challenges in ESG reporting? In an interactive panel session inspired by the format of Family Feud we will have two groups, each comprising of three insightful global leaders. They will tackle the foremost survey questions to uncover the top answers, which you the audience, will provide. Our discussions will center around ESG themes, particularly focusing on the challenges that lie ahead and offering predictions for the future. Join this informative and engaging session to discover the champions!
The pandemic caused a tectonic shift in where, when, and how we work. But while the majority of workers prioritize flexibility and autonomy, many iconic CEOs hold on to legacy norms driven by intuition and bias. They focus narrowly on days in the office instead of the difficult task of changing work processes to be more sustainable in an increasingly distributed model. GitLab is the most famous, born-and-still-fully-remote company, with 1500+ employees in 65+ countries and zero offices. COVID gave GitLab the chance to share its best practices with the world, but the holistic benefits of its radical work operating system have been difficult for traditional enterprises. McKinsey' Organizational Health Index (OHI) is the global standard to measure how companies align and renew to sustainably achieve performance aspirations; over 15 years and 1B data points, top results have demonstrated 3X total return to shareholders. GitLab partnered with McKinsey to quantify the benefits of their work practices and culture, and surprisingly exceeded many of the OHI benchmarks. This proves that remote-friendly work practices can help organizations drive competitive advantage, even if still using majority on-site models, which makes them imperatives for any modern organization. We can adopt the best of both virtual and physical workplace to make the most inclusive, sustainable, innovative, and engaging work experience.
As companies embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and recognize the value of investing in diverse teams, forward-thinking organizations such as Oracle understand the importance of being inclusive for people of all abilities. To that end, Oracle has been on a journey implementing Universal Design (UD) best practices across their global footprint making work-life healthier, more productive, safer, and friendlier; ultimately realizing a tangible benefit and a return on their investment. UD goes beyond governmental accessibility requirements and embraces the idea that a building or space can be built and designed in a way that makes it accessible for the widest range of people. Rather than an after-thought, UD is a strategy that guides the architecture and design itself through a people-first approach. In this case study presentation, we will help audience members understand the principles of UD, and why and how Oracle has embraced UD thinking in their facilities. Audience participation and questions will be encouraged.
As organizations work to navigate a dynamic business environment, corporate real estate (CRE) leaders have been tasked with developing portfolio strategies that reduce costs, maximize efficiencies, meet evolving employee needs, and enable engagement. In fact, in a recent CBRE survey of occupiers, the top identified goals included optimizing the portfolio, reducing costs, and adopting technology that enhances employee experience. In this new environment, portfolio strategy has become significantly more complex and reducing square footage alone will not deliver the results that organizations need. A smart portfolio strategy should align with long-term enterprise goals while providing the ability to react quickly to and benefit from unexpected or sudden opportunities to make portfolio changes. In this session, CRE leaders and their supplier partners will learn from industry experts as they discuss how to plan and execute a smart portfolio strategy that incorporates components such as risk management, space utilization, ESG goals, and the creation of a desirable workplace. Topics covered will include collaborating internally, unlocking opportunities to better utilize space, incorporating occupancy planning, being prepared to react quickly to unexpected portfolio opportunities, and developing an approach to move-management that ensures seamless project execution. The panel will also discuss best practices for driving efficiencies and streamlining portfolio-wide decision making.
Leidos and JLL had been working under a “strategic partnership” since 2011, with JLL providing a full spectrum of CRE and IFM services. The strategic relationship had fostered significant benefits with JLL supporting numerous initiatives to optimize the technology company’s portfolio, enhance its facility capabilities and support its integration across businesses. With the 10 year anniversary mark around the corner, Leidos faced a dilemma many organizations do – what’s next? Should they do a competitive bid to test the market? Use the baseline data from the last 10 years to leverage concessions from JLL? Leidos and JLL turned to a third option – a shift to a Vested® business model where they would work together to co-create a highly strategic win-win formal relational contract designed to unlock innovation & optimization designed to create step-function changes in Leidos’ technology, portfolio, and workplace service solutions. The Vested model tightly aligned interests that promote collaboration and investment to achieve mutual agreed Desired Outcomes. The Leidos - JLL agreement is the first-ever certified Vested certified agreement spanning both CRE and multi-function facilities management services. This presentation will bring the key stakeholders from Leidos and JLL from the CRE and the Procurement Organizations to share the path they took to Vested, what it has been like to “live into Vested”, the accomplishments of the One Team, and the lessons learned along the way.
As a financial leader, you’re tasked with managing your organization’s real estate costs. But how can you effectively manage something that’s constantly in flux? Organizations today have many more factors to consider when making strategic decisions about the future of the portfolio. Policies around flexible and hybrid work arrangements, rising energy costs and regulations, and the complexity of lease agreements – all these play a part in decision-making. The traditional financial models simply aren’t powerful enough to manage today’s dynamic costs and provide well-rounded perspectives to make thoughtful decisions. How can accounting and compliance teams shift from a tactical mindset to a more strategic approach? Leveraging technology and data to gain a broader perspective on financial challenges will prepare your organization to embrace uncertainty and navigate whatever comes next. Attend this session to learn how data, AI, tech tools, integrations and more can empower your real estate team to redefine the financial model, see the big picture faster, and stay ahead of the curve.
The Health of local economies today will affect their ability to adapt and thrive in the automation age. McKinsey Global Institute, July 2019 report- Before the global pandemic hit the world, McKinsey already saw the US labor market look markedly different than it did two decades before. Since then and after working from home for over two years, employees in the US are reluctantly returning to the office and employers are struggling to find strategies to bring them back. Most are trying to grasp what impact the economy, hybrid work, cultural shifts and younger generations will bring to the workplace in the coming years. In the United States and other developed countries, only a third of office workers had returned to fully in-person work by the end of the first 2022 quarter. So, how is the rest of the world doing RTO and who is moving faster with workplace evolution across global regions then? Wealthier countries tend to have more of the kinds of employment that lend themselves to remote work. In other parts of the world, people returned to work pretty quickly due to practical considerations such as size of people's homes, living situations and reliability of internet connections. We will play devil’s advocate and get input from three corporate end users whose portfolios span globally. And each of our speakers will share with the audience why they think their assigned region might be the one leading the evolution of the workplace.
Erin Sevitz, renowned expert from Eptura, conducts an in-depth exploration and analysis of every key aspect highlighted in the comprehensive Workplace Index Report. Delve into the intricacies of workplace trends, insights, and crucial data with her expert breakdown. Gain a nuanced understanding of the report's main points through her insightful perspective and industry expertise.
“We are not getting any younger.” True for any human on this Earth, but especially so when it comes to global demographics. As birth rates fall and life spans expand, the average age of the world population is rising faster than any time in human history. Not surprisingly, this trendline in general population makeup is reflected in workforce demographics. In the U.S., the fastest growing age segment of the workforce is people over 55. So fast is this cohort growing that the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates by 2024, workers over the age of 55 will be the largest segment of the U.S. workforce, a seismic shift from historically being the smallest. And far from a demographic anomaly, the workforce will continue to get “grayer” through at least the year 2060. An aging workforce brings with it structural challenges, but also significant opportunities. Facing low unemployment and looming skills shortages, recruiting and retaining highly experienced and knowledgeable workers represents a key strategy for organizations looking to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape. An added bonus: age diverse teams have been shown to be more innovative. But to deliver on this potential requires changes in approach; creating a workplace that is welcoming of workers of all ages is a great place to start. This session will explore how smart, intentional workplace strategy and design can help to attract, retain, engage, and empower ALL age groups present in the workforce today.
Will AI impress you? It will. Will AI move you? Doubtful. In order for us to harness AI’s incredible potential, we must understand that we are still the soul of our endeavors…and it's that soul that AI lacks. We can’t just think of this as machine intelligence vs human intelligence but more as an extended intelligence. Architects and designers must work in collaboration with AI to reflect both the capabilities of the technology but also the creativity, soul, and humanity that technology can't replicate. AI can be big and scary, and our brains react poorly to uncertainty, even tricking us into making bad decisions. For Companies and CRE, the sunken cost fallacy cognitive bias of AI means that because we have invested so much money into our spaces, we are too afraid to change. In this session we will talk about how AI can help us design and create better spaces, and how those changes will be critical to success in the future. No one wants to become a Blockbuster or Kodak because they didn’t embrace technology - and as organizations are feeling pressure, they will be forced to forge a new direction. To channel that energy the right way though, you need to have clear purpose – and while the methods that we use to create that new direction will be highly tech augmented, the purpose of why we’re doing it must remain deeply rooted in our humanity.
Are we addicted to our workstations? The modern workplace has thrusted us into multitasking ad nauseum - to be and do everything, everywhere, all at once – and it is taking a toll on our health. In 2022, HKS and the Center for Brain Health at UT Dallas partnered to study the relationship between brain healthy behaviors and the design of workplace environments. The study included the Center's BrainHealthy Workplace program, which provided on-demand training on brain health strategies intended to facilitate peak performance. Our research found that not only is multitasking bad for us, but our workstations are multitasking alongside us. We found that 43% of employees frequently multitasked and 60% were dissatisfied with their control over their work environment. Employees that embrace flexibility say there are different types of work they do best at home versus in the office – what is preventing us from applying this strategy to the office itself? Our dependence on the workstation prevents us from asking WHAT we need to do before deciding WHERE best to do it. Although the standard workstation offers some level of flexibility in performing tasks, it does not cater to the specific needs for individuals to reach peak performance. Is it time to break the habit and rethink workplace design for better brain health? Can brain healthy design help us break the habit? Join us as we unpack how brain healthy workplaces can unlock new potential in corporate real estate.
Since its inception in 1899 Hancock Whitney Bank has seen its share of hurricanes. Surviving through these storms has added an extra degree of resiliency to the Bank’s corporate real estate operations. Our presentation will provide attendees with valuable insights into our holistic approach to disaster management, specifically tailored to the corporate real estate department. By "zooming out" and examining the larger patterns and interdependencies, we have developed a comprehensive disaster preparedness strategy that focuses on three key areas: 1. Pre-Disaster Planning: We will share our approach to proactive risk assessments, business continuity planning, and resilient branch and office design. We will discuss how these measures have helped us minimize potential losses and ensure a faster recovery for our operations and clients. 2. Crisis Management During the Storm: We will provide an overview of Hancock Whitney Bank's strategies for effective communication, resource allocation, and decision-making in the midst of a hurricane. We will highlight how maintaining a broad perspective has allowed us to address complex challenges and support our clients, employees, and communities during these critical moments. 3. Post-Disaster Recovery: We will explain how our bank has successfully navigated the recovery process, including restoring operations, rebuilding infrastructure, and supporting the well-being of our employees and communities. We will also share lessons learned and how we continuously adapt our disaster preparedness efforts to improve future resilience. Our presentation will draw on real-world experiences to inspire attendees to think beyond traditional disaster management approaches and embrace the power of perspective in navigating uncertainty. By sharing Hancock Whitney Bank's approach to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, we aim to help other corporate real estate professionals emerge as thoughtful leaders, better equipped to face the storms that come their way, ensuring the long-term success and resilience of their organizations and communities.
Gab Peschiera, the CEO of Numa, delves into the core mission of their organization, aiming to revolutionize the work environment by providing a dedicated focus on each employee's well-being. In this insightful discussion, he elaborates on Numa's commitment to ensuring that every individual enjoys a workspace with clean air right at their desk. The conversation covers Numa's innovative approaches to achieving this goal, contributing to a healthier and more productive work atmosphere for employees.
The Cisco real estate strategy is about providing a platform to help us realize our enterprise goals; including attracting and retaining the best talent, while accelerating our net zero journey. This session will focus on how we are using technology as a better way to design and construct to reduce our capex and opex; while ensuring a better user experience.
In a time of unprecedented uncertainty for real estate decision-makers, one thing is certain: We are migrating to a workplace ecosystem balancing home, office and 3rd places. For companies whose ecosystem will be weighted toward a return to the office, the best way to bring people back is unclear. Some are using mandates; some are using choice; but nearly all are rethinking the space people will come back to. As a CRE leader, how do you know what will really work, and where to invest? In this session you will learn how to replace conjecture and subjectivity with an evidence-based, data-driven approach to measure and align the drivers of employee's workplace experience with operational investments. Join a thought-provoking, interactive discussion on how TIAA has incorporated the voice of the employee and employee experience into key location and real estate decisions. Driven by pre- and post-COVID employee sentiment data, learn what has changed for employee expectations, their experience, and drivers for TIAA as they develop a workplace ecosystem to support business and cultural transformation post COVID. TIAA's approach, backed by Cushman & Wakefield's Experience per Square Foot™ (XSF) data, avoids the pitfall of investing in the built environment without the data to back decisions. XSF insight from 185,000+ occupiers and 12 million+ data points debunks many common myths around workplace experience, using statistical analysis to shift the subjective nature of workplace experience and employee engagement to one that is quantifiable, diagnosed and predicted.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the trend of increasing authoritarianism over the last decade had an unprecedented impact on the global economy and the real estate industry. The pandemic forced businesses to rethink operations, and authoritarian governments may threaten long-standing economic relationships. As a result, many are focusing on reshoring, near-shoring, and friend-shoring to reduce their dependence on offshore operations. This shift has significant implications for the real estate industry. Our session will first explore the interconnectedness of global economies and explore the concept of friend-shoring and its connection to regional development banks. Dr. Tina Zappile will first provide an overview of how recent shocks and changes to the global economic system have impacted regionalism in trade, investment, and development. She will expound upon this topic to highlight the pressures multi-national corporations (MNC’s) have faced and how they have diversified supply chains to reduce risk. Monty Turner will explain how countries have marketed their labor and real estate arbitrage opportunities to reduce risk via tax and incentive policies. Finally, Rafael McCadden and Juan Gallardo will highlight the opportunities and challenges created by the shift towards reshoring and near-shoring, and the subsequent impacts of this movement on both companies approach to strategic planning, using an end-user case study to illustrate real-world decisions. Ron Zappile will facilitate a debate between the panelists on the arguments for and against re-shoring, near-shoring, and friend-shoring and why companies would choose one over the other.
During this long project, a frequent question from other corporate end users was “How did you get support from senior company leadership?” And particularly for a project focused on Sustainability, which is one of Microsoft’s core principles in addition to Connected, Accessible, and Secure. We set out to build 17 new buildings and a 3 Million square feet underground parking garage on 72 acres on Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, WA, with an end-user perspective on company and leadership goals alignment, and an enduring commitment to remain flexible and confront historic challenges. Project sustainability commitments include: Reduce embodied carbon 30% Power with 100% renewable energy Reduce water consumption by 5.8 million gallons annually ILFI Zero Carbon certification and offsetting 100% of the project’s carbon Design supports the health of our employees and the ecosystem Salmon-Safe certified Zero Waste certification during operation LEED Platinum certification These commitments are realized by the campus site and building design, parking garage, athletic fields, an 1100’ pedestrian/bike bridge, and a Thermal Energy Center that uses 900 geowells to provide heating and cooling for 19 campus buildings. A holistic approach ensured sustainable design is layered throughout the project and influenced by the Pacific Northwest climatology and geography. Strong leadership support allowed flexibility to overcome COVID and other challenges to remain focused on project commitments.
To achieve true sustainability, today’s CRE leaders must raise the bar on social impact measurement and shift their focus from net zero to net impact by thinking outside the box. In this interactive roundtable, CRE, ESG, and DEI leaders at State Street, Shell, Hines, and Humana will join Liz Powers, co-founder and CEO of ArtLifting, to discuss why the “S” in ESG is important and the novel and creative ways to implement, measure, and scale social impact strategies. Speakers will share their challenges and chronicle their journeys to successfully identify and incorporate ESG and DEI opportunities in their real estate projects in ways that do not require new work, but doing work differently. Among other strategies, the group will share their experience investing in artwork by marginalized artists as a way to create economic opportunity, foster community, and reduce stigma and stereotypes. If companies prioritize universal and inclusive design to create a sense of belonging in the workplace, everyone benefits. Speakers will reveal how these strategies support cross-departmental goals and provide a multitude of benefits including improving well-being, creativity, and productivity amongst employees, as well as enhancing their brands. By emphasizing the need to act decisively, attendees will learn the importance of prioritizing the “S”, how a DEI lens can be embedded into every business decision, and ways to take action to generate meaningful and measurable change.
The session will showcase the Nordic Way of Working and how this approach has been successfully implemented through a hybrid and flexible way of working, even before the pandemic. The speakers will share insights into the core reasons how organizations can create modern work environments that prioritize employee productivity and well-being through activity-based working. Further, the session will delve into how robust and supportive leadership and a sense of community play a crucial role in implementing successful hybrid work arrangements. Lessons for leaders include, understanding that creating a culture that values results over presenteeism requires a shift in mindset and real-time feedback as the most important tool for success. Actionable tips and strategies for how global companies can expedite their journey towards a flexible work environment that supports desk sharing or activity-based work arrangements will add to this fast-paced session. These include involving employees in the transition, providing the necessary technology and infrastructure, establishing clear communication and collaboration channels, and setting measurable goals and metrics.
It’s no secret the environmental quality (EQ) of our workplaces can have profound impacts on our health, butits influence doesn’t stop there. As consumers of 40% of energy globally, buildings have the potential totransform our environment through reductions in air pollutants . And providing work settings that promotewellness is not only the right thing to do; it’s also a key decision criterion for top talent amid the GreatResignation. This is especially poignant as companies are finding ways to lure employees back to the office ina “post pandemic” world. But how do we do this and how do we know if our offices are healthy, especially when “office” could mean a commercial building, a nook at home, or anywhere in between? We will introduce the latest science on healthy buildings and explore the sensing devices that are helpingorganizations and individuals adjust their workspaces for greater well-being. This science will delve into thecapturing of environmental controls such as noise, lighting, temperature, and humidity and the effects theyhave on human performance in space plans. This presentation will bridge awareness and action. We’ll discuss how people can begin tracking EQ,uncovering improvement areas, and enacting practical interventions—from affordable, simple actions tolarger, more impactful
CBRE will lead a cross-sector panel discussion sharing best practices from multiple organizations as they progress down a path to EV planning and implementation. Perspectives from partnering with EV-network operators, governments, and vendors will be featured to offer the audience a “behind the curtain” view of successful programs. This discussion will also explore lessons learned from private-sector EV charging programs as they shape a generational opportunity to rethink real estate portfolios’ ability to accelerate the delivery of equitable access to EV charging facilities.
XR technology, a combination of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), is transforming the way we design and experience space and has value as both process and product. As a process, XR has the potential to create a shared virtual environment fostering communication and understanding between groups with different objectives. It offers a singular platform to make informed choices, create sustainable spaces, and provide an equitable experience for users. As a product, XR models serve a dual role as virtual amenity space for end users to collaborate, present, and socialize to bridge the trans-spatial divide. However, as with any new technology, challenges remain that require thoughtful consideration to ensure success. Through client case studies and interactive live demos, we illustrate the benefits and challenges of XR technology as a consensus and culture builder from design through implementation. This presentation shares both design and client perspective, showcasing the collaborative advantages to rapidly prototype novel design concepts, program strategies, and user journeys while simultaneously decreasing the time between review, sign-off, and budget allocation for physical construction. When done correctly, the process becomes the product, a pixel place or virtual window for end users to interact with their colleagues in an immersive experience that both stimulates and soothes.
Ron Zappile of Colliers explores the dynamics of office utilization in higher education with Dr. Tina Zappile, an esteemed international political economist. Gain valuable insights into the evolving landscape of office spaces within academic institutions as Dr. Zappile sheds light on key trends and considerations in academia including DEI and the next generation’s expectations for entering the workforce.
In the world of auto-racing, talented drivers and their intricate machines rely on a diverse team of experts to service the vehicle every time it requires a pitstop. While this flurry of activity lasts just a few seconds, it’s timing and duration can make or break a race. The time it takes for a racer and their crew to complete the Pit Process is called the Delta Time. According to BCG, “the rate of transformation success rises by more than 80% if a clear purpose is defined.” To gain this clarity to drive effective workplace transformations, various teams need to come together and perform seamlessly. An elevated vantage point enables a view of larger patterns and inter-dependencies leading to adaptation, re-calibration, and new solutions. Balance, speed, precision and adaptability are all key ingredients that make for an effective NASCAR Pit Crew. Similarly, we are all well aware that finance, business, RE, HR, and IT subject matter experts need to work as a team to transform a workplace. More often than not, the weakest link in the chain will result in failure for the whole team. In this session we learn how effective teams, specifically those on the race car circuits, work together to win the race. Successful coordination of these experts is paramount in optimizing the Delta Time. How can members of our very own workplace transformation teams identify blindspots, learn from each other, change, repeat and then proceed into winning in workplace transformation journeys?
Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt. Ltd. (SRK) is one of the largest diamond manufacturers in the world. The diamond industry as a whole has been very difficult to decarbonize, and more broadly, the manufacturing sector is extremely challenging to decarbonize. Manufacturers have to make sure they are calculating their emissions at every step of the way from the supply chain, to business practices and the actual manufacturing facilities. As a purpose-driven company that focuses on sustainability, SRK has been a leader in decarbonizing their manufacturing facilities. SRK achieved LEED Platinum for their two manufacturing facilities in Surat, India - SRK House and SRK Empire - and these facilities remain one of the highest performing LEED buildings in the world. Recently, they committed to achieving net zero for these two facilities and are on track to meet this achievement by 2024. This session will go through how to begin and assess your building's performance and how to put in place a successful roadmap to reach net zero, as well as cover the challenges. This session will go through the challenges and roadblocks to decarbonize manufacturing buildings, how you set a plan in place and establish a roadmap to get to net zero, and also offer best practices. SRK has teamed up with leadership collective The Global Network for Zero to further accelerate the company's net zero targets
The pandemic impacted the entire world simultaneously. Every continent, country, city, and individual has experienced the same battle. Each country had its own unique perspective and approach for how they attempted to handle the crisis. Teams of scientists and doctors from all parts of the world came together to explore how best to understand and fight this illness. As the scale of the pandemic has waned, and economies have continued to rev back up, there is a greater awareness of our global interconnectedness; people and organizations have become more resilient; and accelerations in technological innovation have created new ways for the world to more seamlessly interact. In contrast, this same sense of resolve has not carried over to other global issues. In fact, you can easily argue that worldwide cooperation has declined further than pre-pandemic times. Our panel of experts, in a campfire style, will share their perspectives on for how the convergence of shifting cultural and societal norms, consumer demand, technological complexities, regulatory and legal frameworks and geopolitical instability are creating new challenges, opportunities and are shaping new patterns of a global economy and the interaction between countries, corporations and the workforce.
An uncertain economic landscape means today’s real estate leaders are under pressure to do more with less. Even while portfolio needs are changing, climate action drivers are accelerating energy costs are rising, employees want aligned values, regulators are increasing scrutiny, and shareholders are demanding action. The landlord – tenant interface is a key relationship to addressing these challenges, but the historical approach is not fit for the speed and flexibility required in today’s environment. In this session you’ll hear from experts in the market about how to reframe that relationship to drive value for both sides, while achieving corporate commitments. The panel will draw from new research and best practice examples to show a new path forward, with concrete examples of how leasing and site selection can drive core business value while achieving ESG ambitions. The speakers will explore the current state of practice, but also describe how to move beyond traditional “green” components and incorporate social responsibility into the process as well.
March of 2020 has long come and gone. We’re not past COVID, but we are learning to live with it. And when it comes to the work and the workplace, we’re entering new frontier and with a sense of urgency. How so? We’re not “snaping back” to working the way we did three years ago. We have changed the way we work and proven we can be flexible and work effectively that way. Eighty percent of the U.S. workforce is working in a hybrid fashion at this point, and most are resisting going back to the office full-time. Offices don’t support workers’ needs anymore. The waiting game is up. Organizations can’t keep holding out for the dust to settle. Many offices have a very low utilization, yet tenants continue to spend millions on rent and building owners on operational costs. The thing is, solving problems the way we have in the past isn’t enough. We need new tools and methods to help accelerate our thinking. We need to be future-focused, without being encumbered by the past. That’s where design thinking comes in. This workshop is about breaking big problems down into smaller pieces. We will use design thinking and hackathon strategies to spark new ideas, looking for innovation and incremental change that may shape what work looks like in the coming decade.
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!
What do community-driven artwork, tapestries woven from over 50,000 recycled plastic bags, and a re-imagined New York City landmark have in common? They tell a brand’s story and social purpose from the moment you enter the space. The “destination workplace” is not a new concept, but are we truly leveraging the best of design to create compelling spaces that draw people in, inspire and connect them? Consumers and employees alike are crying out for big, bold changes – the status quo won’t cut it anymore. Spaces must be commute-worthy — offering memorable experiences and amenities that drive innovation and wellbeing, spark inspiration, bring joy, and even influence social impact. By activating and elevating the physical and digital experience, your space becomes a place that reflects the people within it, brings opportunities to connect, and evokes pride. In this panel, we will discuss how art, design and digital experiences – taking examples from across industries including hospitality, retail, entertainment and – workplace – can be a vehicle for creating purpose, engagement, culture, and community impact.
Spencer Levy, Global Client Strategist and Senior Economic Advisor for CBRE, will present a unique perspective on commercial real estate, the economy, and what it all means for the future. This presentation will provide an overview of macro factors (economic, demographics and technology) influencing CRE sectors. Key components will include: the economy, the future of office, the strength of various industry sectors (e.g., industrial, retail), challenges related to housing, and strategies related to recruiting top talent.
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.
Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures (M&A/D) continues to be at the top of the C-suite’s strategic agenda, with a record number of deals in 2022 and 2023. Deals often result in significant, rapid shifts in a company’s real estate portfolio causing disruption in the operating model. CRE leaders must understand how to drive portfolio value, minimize stranded costs, reduce TSAs, and maximize synergies. From the initial planning stage to actual execution, real estate plays an integral part, facilitating the role of a key downstream and upstream function, to avoid operational disruption and extra costs. The panel will host leaders from companies, sharing a wealth of practical knowledge, personal experiences and insights into how they navigated complex transactions and will provide real-world examples of opportunities derived from these deals. The panel will cover topics such as the impact of M&A/D on real estate portfolios, strategies for managing real estate assets, CRE transformation opportunities arising from transactions, and best practices from all stages of the transaction lifecycle. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges CRE leaders are facing, define CRE’s role in M&A/D deals, and identify transformation opportunities and best practices critical for improved decision making and value creation.
Explore the mindset of the successful new CRE leader, unpacking how to best re-assess the CRE portfolio, develop priorities and plans, and cast your vision forward across your organization. In this inspiring and interactive session, three prominent corporate real estate executives will share their recent experiences and lessons learned from taking on new, transformative leadership responsibilities. Executives from AT&T, The Coca Cola Company, and Ford will share their stories, engage in peer conversation, and take questions from the audience. While each panelist is an experienced and seasoned real estate executive, each panelist is also tackling the experience of being “new” to their role in a specific way. We know that the ability to navigate change, disruption, and uncertainty is paramount in a world that has become increasingly turbulent and volatile. The presenters contend that cultivating the mindset of “new” will help CRE leaders address their environment with greater success and satisfaction. We believe it is possible, and desirable, to bring a new mindset, with open, curious eyes to the CRE leadership role every day. We hope participants will leave the session with additional inspiration, restored courage, and practical ideas to help them adapt, re-calibrate, and solve CRE’s toughest challenges going forward.
This session will review the end-to-end process for selecting Denver as the location for the new manufacturing facility, sustainability agenda. PepsiCo, Inc., through its operating division Pepsi Beverages North America, committed to construct a state-of-the-art bottling and beverage production facility in the High Point development at High Point Boulevard and Dunkirk Street. Join the session to hear the lessons learned for a project that is embracing new technologies in manufacturing and sustainability to increase productivity, efficiency, safety and meet our goals. This project is considered a Mega project and included high engagement with economic development, such as working with legislators, the governor’s office, and economic agencies (workforce development). The panel will provide lessons learned and strategies to break through “noise”, including how the team ensured that the project obtained and retained the interest from the state and local economic developers. For this project to be a success, from the point of view of PepsiCo, community engagement has been paramount. Further, navigating internal and external stakeholders was not always easy, and it was important for the project to be able to leverage incentives to be more cost effective.
How can an organization empower employees to be autonomous, provide the best services for customers and clients, accommodate existing seating, all while making the workplace more efficient? Gensler spent the past three years trying to find the answer. Recently Google Cloud announced a new real estate strategy that shows just how difficult it is to balance priorities. They achieved efficiency and retained assigned seating, albeit with seatmates. Engineers are unhappy with associated assigned days in the office. In contrast, LinkedIn prioritized choice and amenities but abandoned space assignments. The company approaches workplace design like their product design: with focus on user experience. They identified and force-ranked parameters, created scenarios, and identified personas. They then monitored how people were using spaces, identified areas of improvement, and tested out new space types and concepts based on data and user feedback. This Dynamic Work Environment strategy allowed LinkedIn to close five of their eight buildings in Sunnyvale to prioritize social interaction, and focus-work in their offices. This iterative approach allowed leadership to make data-informed decisions regarding real estate in these otherwise uncertain times. After all, the future is not something we predict. It’s something we build together.
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.
Significant advancements in smart buildings, IoT, and the Metaverse are being used to enhance the design, development, operations, and maintenance of the built environment. Real estate is often behind the curve in adoption of new technologies, but the transformation is inevitable. Learn from industry experts about the impact and benefits of early adoption and why it’s critical to stay on top of the latest technologies and their impact on the business of CRE.
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?
People are the most valuable asset of any organization. Our unique perspectives and diverse skill sets foster innovation and creativity, making it essential to build teams representing various backgrounds and experiences. By promoting neurodiversity in our workplaces - and recognizing the importance of accommodating the needs of all individuals - we can strengthen our teams. This session will explore ways to promote diversity in the workplace by encouraging different perspectives. Speakers will demonstrate how creating an inclusive work environment fosters rich interactions, stronger teams, innovative solutions, and a thriving culture. The focus will be on new approaches that align with Universal Design goals, ensuring work environments support ecological and human health through material sourcing and planning. During the discussion, attendees will receive a walkthrough of bp America's Washington DC & Westlake Campus, which employed the assessment tool during the design phases to promote variety, flexibility, and choices that align with the organization's "People First" approach. Perkins&Will worked closely with bp's internal Design & Transformation Teams and their Colleague Experience Lead for bp America's to identify and implement design improvements that would enhance their work environments to better support a diverse workforce.
In this captivating session, Sony's Robert Pickral will delve into the pivotal theme of "Technology for the People-Centric Workplace - What Really Matters."
In today's hybrid and remote working world, the day-to-day impacts of corporate real estate are not as prevalent as they once were. As work becomes an activity, not just a place, the role of real estate leaders is evolving, presenting them with the opportunity to redefine their impact within their organization. Changes in employee expectations, technology and people policies are impacting corporate real estate and high-lighting new interdependencies. This also raises questions about what CRE teams should do differently and how real estate leaders distinguish their role from talent, technology and HR teams. To redefine their role, real estate leaders must understand the key trends shaping employee interaction in the future workplace, what areas they can have the most significant influence on and who else in the organization they must work with. Understanding these trends will allow real estate leaders to have proactive influence in their organization, rather than be reactors. This presentation and interactive discussion will highlight the trends, identified through a survey, that impact the role of corporate real estate teams as they redefine their impact.
The trend towards creating corporate campuses with all the amenities built in is becoming less and less desirable for employees. Today employees are looking for more than just a place to work; they want to be part of a vibrant and authentic community that reflects their values and interests. It is becoming increasingly clear that co-locating your organization in an urban fabric with other top organizations in adjacent industries can be a powerful way to attract and retain top talent. Bringing together a diverse mix of progressive and exciting companies creates an energetic and innovative ecosystem that fosters creativity and collaboration. By being a part of a place that employees want to spend time in, companies can tap into the energy and creativity of the surrounding community and offer their employees a more dynamic and fulfilling work experience. Moving towards a distributed model for corporate real estate is also a smart strategy for companies that want to give their employees more flexibility and autonomy. Companies can be more intentional and tactical about when and why people co-locate, giving employees a place to work with the people and teams that matter to them. By allowing employees to live, work, and play within a 15 minute walk, companies can help their employees achieve a more balanced and sustainable lifestyle while also fostering a sense of community and connection to the surrounding area.
We have been seeing a lot more adaptive-reuse of industrial manufacturing buildings into Class-A creative office buildings, but we are also seeing a lot of headlines about the crash of Class A. What are experts seeing happening to the landscape of office buildings, and how is that informing the CRE industry? This session seeks to explore the transformative trend of adaptive reuse, where industrial manufacturing buildings are converted into Class-A creative office spaces.
It is now more critical than ever for organisations to understand how the spaces employees use impact their ability to do their work, and what the key drivers are for employee experience. Leesman has been unearthing these insights for over a decade, and have conducted a survey that has received over 1 million responses. Given the amount of data, Leesman has been able to map which work activities contribute the most to desired business outcomes. There is also data that shows that some things matter more than others to employees, when it comes to them judging the spaces organisations provide. These are called ‘sentiment superdrivers’, which can be thought of as the biggest ‘bang for buck’ must haves. Fail to deliver on these and the workplace fails the employee. This session will be co-presented by Leesman, IWBI and GSK. After laying the foundation around the topic of Wellbeing and some insights from the Leesman benchmark, GSK will explain how they created an outstanding workplace experience in their Bangalore Luxor Building, which has been certified Leesman+.
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 learnt valuable lessons around strategic alignment, operationalising the hybrid construct and creating connected communities, human-centred evidence based design, all whilst ensuring we remain true to our group purpose of : “Africa is our Home, We Drive Her Growth”.

Stephanie Leontis of Accruent leads this discussion with Luis Morejon of Newmark about sharing insights on the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies as well as practical advice for facilities managers to adopt these practices. 

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.
In keeping with the CoreNet’s theme, The Power of Perspective, this session highlights the opportunities presented by leveraging the diverse perspectives and strengths of multiple service providers and CRE professionals. Tricia Trester, Head of Client Solutions for Cresa and Terri Johnson, Director of Global Real Estate and Workplace Strategy for 3M - will begin the session by asking the audience to respond to several questions about their own experience using and/or working with multiple perspectives. The audience will be asked to engage several times throughout the session. Tricia and Terri will discuss their personal experience working with diverse teams to frame the panel conversation, both from a service provider and client perspective. Breanna Treptow, Real Estate Manager for 3M, is joined by 3M’s real estate providers (in addition to Cresa): Chris Zlocki from Colliers, and Jamie Ergle from Cushman & Wakefield. The team will share their experience, openly addressing any challenges encountered and solutions implemented while designing a strategic and effective Real Estate Roadmap. Specifically, the team will describe a recent transformation workshop where the service providers worked closely with 3M to identify three pillars of opportunity for Best Practices, Strategy and Brand. By the end of the workshop, the collective team developed initiatives to support each pillar and drafted a roadmap that strategically leveraged each providers’ strengths. This exercise is a testament to the positive outcomes achieved when we are inclusive and committed to integrating diverse skill sets and perspectives. The speakers will also offer other examples of experiences, good and bad, calling out best practices and how to put the right tools and governance in place to ensure success.
In an age where technology has rapidly shifted how we communicate and interact with one another, what are the social implications to this shift and how will this affect our long-term industry growth? Many data points show an increase in productivity, efficiency, and profit since moving to a remote or hybrid work environment. These data points are quantitative and don’t necessarily look at the qualitative side of company growth. How are we preparing the next generation to be leaders in their field? Is physical space and in-person collaboration a requirement for successful mentoring? How do we quantify what is gained and what is lost by remote work and when will we be able to see a quantifiable impact on this data point regarding mentoring the next generation of workers? Our program will host a diverse group of panelists that vary in age, gender and role within the CRE industry to discuss the impact of employee development, recruitment and retention and how we ensure we are cultivating the next generation of our industry to safeguard its success for years to come.
Financial institutions conduct stress tests to evaluate how their balance sheet and capital would fare under different economic conditions. What if companies applied this concept to their real estate strategy to prepare for future uncertainties, guide decision-making and unlock cost-saving opportunities? Today, business leaders are prioritizing ways to increase efficiencies, reduce costs and weather economic turmoil. Since real estate is typically the second largest cost in operating budgets, recent events have triggered a flood of subleasing activity and portfolio consolidations. With so many factors to consider and a bit of “fear of the unknown,” some organizations have even paused or completely cancelled real estate initiatives. Instead of striking line items out of panic or suffering the consequences of cutting the wrong thing, we will present a strategic solution: the real estate stress test. Our session will demonstrate how companies can leverage the concept of a stress test to develop “what if” scenarios for real estate. The exercise will help CRE leaders consider short-, mid- and long-term impacts, and how these scenarios can be a tool for leadership alignment, decision-making and budgeting. We’ll hear examples from occupiers and service providers of how they built and tested scenarios, navigated resistance and leveraged data to build stronger business cases for real estate strategy. Attendees will also learn how to build their own scenarios and discuss.
How we plan, design, and manage the workplace of the future depends on deeply understanding the underlying employee value proposition for why an office, a place we go to work, contributes to our professional and personal well-being. The key to this understanding begins with diagnosing utilization patterns among various office users. Within this year’s CoreNet Global/ CBRE Institute annual CRE&F Management Practices study, utilization was noted as the most common metric for guiding CRE operations and performance—leapfrogging both occupancy costs and employee engagement. This is because all eyes on are utilization – from CRE to the C-Suite, to stockholders. At the same time, organizations are trying to reconcile the motivations and biases of management and their workforce relative to how much or how little they need to work together in the office. The current struggle to reoccupy the office reflects this tension between management, who want a return to pre-pandemic routines, and recalcitrant employees who will trade their jobs for more flexibility. This session will explore recent work that examines patterns of utilization, organizational sentiment, and legacy office conditions to offer insight that is helping organizations create a more magnetic office experience. It will include a two-fold discussion that will explore the underlying data and analytics and how CBRE is using that data to inform the future workplace and drive increased utilization rates.

Stephen Brown and colleagues, Dr. Whitney Austin Gray and Angela Spangler from the International WELL Building Institute join forces in an enlightening conversation about the latest updates in WELL standards. Gain valuable insights as they draw on real-world examples from companies that have embraced WELL principles.

“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.
Listen in to this panel of flex workspace operator executives discussing their growth strategy based on enterprise business opportunities. How are the biggest flex space providers, and others, adjusting their growth strategies to service shifting needs and wants of the enterprise community. What role will flex operators play in the future of flex/hybrid work?
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?

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