Tag: BUSINESS

Olivia Prize 2023 award ceremony. Lecture by prof. Marcin Piatkowski’s “Polish Golden Age”

Posted on by Katarzyna Halicka

We would like to invite you to the award ceremony in the Olivia Prize competition! For the fourth time, we will award the projects of employees and companies from Olivia Centre. The special guest of the event will be prof. Marcin Piatkowski.
Registration required.

 

 

Agenda of the meeting

 

18:00 Opening

18:00-18:10 Welcoming guests

18:10-19:10 Lecture by prof. Marcin Piatkowski’s “Polish Golden Age”

19:10-20:00 Olivia Prize Awards Ceremony

20:00-21:00 Closing / cocktail

 

 

Lecture by prof. Marcin Piatkowski’s “Polish Golden Age”

 

 

Marcin Piatkowski

Professor at Kozminski University in Warsaw and leading economist at the World Bank in Washington. Previously, he was a visiting economist at Harvard University, chief economist at PKO BP, economist at the European Department and advisor to the executive director at the International Monetary Fund in Washington. Former advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Republic of Poland. Author of several dozen scientific publications, lecturer at leading universities in the world and active commentator on economic events in the Polish and world media.

 

Author of the book “Europe’s Growth Champion. Insights from the Economic Rise of Poland.”, also published in Poland, where in 2019 it received the award of the Polish Academy of Sciences for the best book on economics, and in 2020 it won the first place in the Economicus competition of “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna” for the best book promoting economic knowledge.

 

“The Golden Age. How did Poland become a European leader in growth and what does the future hold for it?”

 

  • Why are some countries rich and others poor?
  • Why are some able to get out of economic backwardness, while others are stuck in poverty?

 

The author provides answers to these questions on the example of Polish and its unprecedented economic success after 1989, when we achieved the fastest growth rate in Europe and one of the fastest in the world. As a result, in just one generation, Poland joined a small group of high-income countries and entered its economic golden age. It also analyses the causes of the earlier centuries-long backwardness of the state and emphasizes the key role of inclusive institutions, culture, ideas and individuality as sources of Polish success. In addition, it points to threats to further development and proposes a new growth model that would allow Poland to catch up with the West for the first time in history.

 

Olivia Prize Awards Ceremony

 

The Olivia Prize is awarded in four categories:

  • Olivia Business – for an economic or business project, carried out individually or in teams by Olivia Centre Residents.
  • Olivia Pro Bono – for a social project, carried out individually or in teams by the Residents of Olivia Centre.
  • Olivia Eco – for an ecological project, carried out individually or in teams by Olivia Centre Residents.
  • Olivia Impact – for the project that in 2023 had the greatest positive impact on the environment, in the business, social or ecological area. This special prize is awarded at the Jury’s choice from among all submitted initiatives.

 

The winners will receive vouchers and statuettes prepared by the Prof. Tomasz Sobisz.

 

Prof. Academy of Fine Arts dr hab. Tomasz Sobisz

He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk in 1998. Habilitated doctor, works at his alma mater at the Faculty of Sculpture and Intermedia. Currently, he is the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Sculpture and Intermedia. His sculptural output has been honoured with many prestigious awards, including the award of the Minister of Culture and Art, the award of the Mayor of Gdańsk in the field of culture, the award of the Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, and the award at the First Triennial of Pomeranian Art. In 2012 he received the PRO PATRIA Medal, and in 2014 he was awarded the Skra Ormuzdowa and the Medal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland. He has presented his sculptural achievements at many exhibitions, including at the Centre of Polish Sculpture in Orońsko (2011) and in Gdańsk at individual exhibitions: MEMORANDUM, STABILE (Gdańsk City Gallery, 2012) and BATTLEFIELD (State Gallery of Art in Sopot, 2015).

 

Sign up for the event

 

 

2023 in the largest business centre in Poland

Posted on by Katarzyna Halicka

Already at the beginning of December 2023, Olivia could boast of achieving a record result in terms of commercialization of its space. The level of contracts reached m.kw 50,000, while the previous best result in the history of this project was in 2018 at the level of m.kw 40,000. At the same time, this is another good result, as Olivia summed up 2022 with a result of 30 thousand m.kw of contracted leasable space. This year’s result was due to the renewal of existing contracts, including agreements with Energa from the Orlen Group, which has been residing in Olivia continuously since 2012, Sii, which leases 5 floors in the newest building of Olivia Prime, and Bayer GBS Gdańsk, which has been invariably staying in Olivia for 11 years. The contracts also included new contracts, including agreements with Pekao S.A. and Just Join IT, the company managing the largest portal for the IT environment in Poland.

 

In my opinion, this is the most difficult year in 15 years – growing vacancy rates in the regions, stagnation on the market (in Warsaw even a decrease in the volume of the entire market), suspension of all construction of new office buildings in Gdańsk, progressing price fight, reduction of office space by large tenants due to remote and hybrid work. I am proud that even in times like these, we are able to make a profit and break our records: last year, the number of new residents’ entries and the volume of contracts – notes Maciej Kotarski, Leasing Director of Olivia Centre, with satisfaction.

 

 

In March,
Olivia’s bonds debuted on the Catalyst stock exchange
. 25,000 were put on the market. series L bonds with a nominal value of PLN 1,000 each. It was the first debut on Catalyst this year. In the following months, new series of already issued bonds from the last issue program were introduced to the market. The offer also includes new issues, in which most of the subscriptions were significantly reduced – even by more than 55%. This means that the total demand was much higher than the number of securities available. This result confirms the great success of the entire project, as it is associated with exceptional trust in it on the part of investors. The year 2023 was also another year in which cooperation with the local community of Oliwa – the district in which Olivia Centre is developing – is continued. The
fourth edition of the Oliwa Neighbourhood Budget – a
 social project to support initiatives important for the neighbours of Poland’s largest business centre – was held. The budget, which dates back to 2019, has already become a permanent fixture in the schedule of social initiatives in one of the oldest districts of Gdańsk. At the same time, it is the only permanent project in Pomerania to support local communities by the private sector in the form of a neighbourhood budget. Its previous editions have made it possible to co-finance projects with a total value of over PLN 65,000. Golden. Last year also saw the third edition of the Olivia Prize, whose jury, consisting of representatives of residents, selects the most interesting projects in the Impact, Eco, Business and Pro Bono categories. The Olivia Eco award was granted in partnership with the United Nations Global Compact Network Poland. This year’s winners included Infoshare, Speeron Polska sp. z o.o., Zaplify, Sii, ZR Trade, Nowy Styl and Bayer GBS Gdańsk.

 

The year 2023 ended with the jubilee of a unique project –
the Olivia Centre Choir, which celebrated its 5th anniversary
. The concert, which took place on December 6 on the 34th floor of Olivia Star, filled the concert hall to the brim and gathered an audience of over three hundred people. Once again, the choir proved with its performance how unique this project is, as it brings together representatives of over 20 companies from Olivia, and at the same time is one of the clubs for developing passions that operate in Olivia. All of them bring together true enthusiasts of sports, photography, ecology, plant breeding or music, and their main goal is to animate the Olivia community and build bonds between employees of companies that have their offices in Olivia.

 

Analysing at the end of each year the number of initiatives that take place in Olivia, it is hard to believe how multidimensional this project is and how much is happening in it over the course of 12 calendar months – sums up Bogusław Wieczorek, Plenipotentiary of the Management Board of Olivia Centre. Such a reflection, however, allows us to see how important the role our centre plays in the life of the agglomeration and how many business and social projects we manage to implement every year. There are new challenges ahead of us, which will certainly not be less important for our and the local community, so I am looking forward to the new challenges of the year that has just begun.

Another record-breaking year in Olivia Centre

Posted on by Katarzyna Halicka

The year 2023 is not over yet, and the largest business center in Poland can already announce that this year will be record-breaking. In the first days of December, the level of contracts reached m.kw 50,000, and contracts are waiting to be signed, allowing for a forecast result of m.kw 53,000 or even 55,000. Summing up 2022, Olivia Centre could boast of reaching the level of 30 thousand m.kw. covered by the lease agreements.

 

The previous record year was 2018, when for the first time in the history of this 11-year project, the commercialization of leasable space at the level of 40,000 sqm was achieved. m.kw. We managed to beat this result already in September ,” says Michał Klepczyński, Leasing Director at Olivia Centre. “Most of the contracts are related to the renewal of the contracts of the existing residents of Olivia Centre, but this group also includes new residents, and what is particularly important for us, among the 5 new companies, 4 are service companies, which allows us to expand the offer of services available to Olivia employees and residents of the Tri-City.

 

The new services include the café and confectionery Ciacho bez Cukier, abranch of Pekao S.A., a global tycoon on the vehicle rental market, Enterprise, and a showroom for the sale of apartments by the Belgian developer BPI S.A.

 

This year’s result gives us great satisfaction – emphasizes Maciej Kotarski, director of Olivia Centre. – We have signed contracts for such a high volume of space in extremely demanding times and market realities. The evolution affects the entire labour market, and we manage to keep up the pace. Last year, we had as many as 18 contracts concluded with new residents, which was a record in the history of our project, so it would be difficult to expect that we will be able to reach such a high level this year as well. During the period of the greatest market turmoil, i.e. since 2020, our team has acquired as many as 46 new residents, who have taken over 30 thousand residents. m.kw. lease area. Among them are companies such as AMS, Capgemini, Graphcore, Just Join IT, Nike, Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne S.A., Pekao SA Santander, SoftServe, SPEEDNET.

At the same time, it is worth emphasizing that departures to other locations outside Olivia Centre are marginal: within 4 years, only 4 companies, occupying slightly more than 1000 m.kw, decided to change their location. In addition, the level of commercialization of space in the entire center is currently over 90% and is still growing, which also allows us to conclude that the attractiveness of the center in the eyes of the market is increasing.

 

In my opinion, 2023 is the most difficult year for the market over the last 15 years,” emphasizes Maciej Kotarski. Throughout the country, there is a growing vacancy rate, a significant stagnation, and in Warsaw even a decrease in the volume of the entire market. Observing this, investors decided to suspend virtually all construction of new office buildings in Gdansk, accompanied by an ongoing price war. All the more credit goes to the commercialization team at Olivia Centre, which is able to bring profits even in such demanding times.

 

Just Join IT among the Residents of Olivia Centre

Posted on by Katarzyna Halicka

One of the fastest-growing companies on the HR Tech market in the CEE region has moved into its new office in Olivia Centre.

 


Just Join
 IT is the largest portal with job offers for the IT industry in Poland. The company also owns RocketJobs.pl and Hello HR portals, dedicated to office workers and the HR industry. A total of one million people visit all three sites every month. The search for a new office was related to the continuing dynamic development of the company, which was founded only 6 years ago by two friends: Piotr Nowosielski and Tomasz Gański. From the very beginning, they were distinguished by their unconventional approach, high creativity and search for solutions that would change the recruitment portal market. They focused on ease, openness and unconventionality.

 

We were looking for a place that would fit into the unique mindset of Just Join IT. Creativity, buzzing energy, willingness to break the mold and mission to give people the best jobs in the world is the driving force behind our rapid growth. We needed a lot of space to work together and meet informally and create our own professional video studio. We considered several locations, but as soon as we visited the space in Olivia, we felt internally that this was it. The view of the sea and the housing estate in Żabianka, where Just Join IT took its first steps as a startup, additionally captivated us – said Mateusz Szcześniak , Operations Manager at Just Join IT, coordinating the office change process.

 

The company occupies an exceptionally representative 13. first floor in the Olivia Prime office building. It is the newest building of the largest business centre in Poland, whose leading stylistic motif is biophilia. The common areas of the building are filled with plants, and their main finishing material is wood. Most offices have extensive terraces and loggias, often filled with vegetation.

 

The author of the interior design is
Design Anatomy
, an architect studio of Olivia Centre, which has previously prepared a number of award-winning interior designs, m.in. observation deck on the 32nd floor of Olivia Star, conference space on the 34th floor and over 100,000 million people on the 32nd floor. m.kw. office space. The office has been designed to combine functionality, comfort of work and light, user-friendly interior designa. Weronika Budzyńska from Design Anatomy created the project with a view to introducing a calm and conducive to concentration working atmosphere, taking into account the principles of neurodiversity. The office space has been illuminated with natural light, which makes it exceptionally pleasant and light to look at. This effect is enhanced by the bright pastel colors used in the interior design. Workspaces have been divided into smaller zones with the introduction of acoustic panels, office and meeting rooms.

 

The neurodiversity aspect of the project is provided by places designed for more active forms of distraction from work. In the interiors, steel structures with energizing colors in the form of stretching ladders have been introduced, which give employees the opportunity to release tension and gain energy during an intense working day. These are not the only elements that directly affect well-being, as the interior of the office has been filled with plants. The project included the use of them to delineate individual open space zones, thanks to their use both in standing pots and suspended from ceilings. In the collaboration zone, the plants have been woven into the metal ceiling, thanks to which they create a beautiful natural canopy illuminated by decorative lamps.

 

We assess our presence in Olivia as a very positive – emphasizes Sandra Grzesiak, office manager at Just Join IT. – Changing the space to a larger, newer one and, above all, one where we are all on the same floor, definitely has a better effect on our work. The décor of the new office is very warm and homely, which is appreciated by our employees. The entire Just Join IT and RocketJobs.pl team are very happy with our new space. In the office, for example, we have ladders for exercises, and the sales department even organized a competition for the largest number of pull-ups. In the open part, we have arranged a space with sofas, tables and seats, which works well during our monthly company-wide meetings, as well as for celebrating successes or for evenings together, when we play games on the console and projector. An additional advantage is the possibility of coming to the office with pets, which our employees appreciate very much and come with their pets quite often. We have our regulars, e.g. the cute poodle Kokos.

 

The central point of the office is the Collaboration zone, from which there is a view of the city and the Bay of Gdańsk. It has been designed as a multifunctional place that fosters integration and team collaboration. The interior is filled with furniture of various forms and functions, and their selection is based on the idea of providing employees with maximum comfort during work and meetings. Additionally, the adjacent kitchen area has been designed to allow employees space to relax and unwind. The whole thing while maintaining the harmony of beige, gray, green, blue and red colors. The terrace overlooking the sea is a great inspiration in everyday work and a place for integration and relaxation.

 

Designed by Design Antomy, the conference rooms provide ideal conditions for effective work. Panels, acoustic ceilings, carpets and furniture are all decorated in monochromatic colours to encourage concentration and creativity. In addition, the use of display cabinets in the same colours as the interiors of the rooms adds character and complements the arrangement of the office.

 

An additional accent is provided by neon signs designed by Just Join IT, giving the space an individualized style.

 

Just Join IT is one of the most colourful and dynamic teams that have recently moved into Olivia – says Bogusław Wieczorek, Plenipotentiary of the Management Board of Olivia Centre. From the very beginning of their presence in our center, the team has been very visible in the public spaces and community initiatives of our center. Piotr Nowosielski was a juror in our Olivia Prize competition, in which we award the best initiatives of Olivia companies. Employees often use numerous restaurants and gyms, which also serve as a space for integration and building contacts. It is a very engaged and active community that adds value to our center.

We appreciate the comprehensive approach of Olivia’s team and end-to-end commitment, starting from design, through engineering works, to execution. In each of the areas, the experts acted professionally and coherently, which greatly facilitated the process of changing the office. summed up Mateusz Szcześniak from Just Join IT.

The second edition of the Olivia Prize is starting!

Posted on by obc_adm

Olivia Prize 2021 – the call for applications for the second edition of our competition is now open! Submit your company or project by 28 February.

The Olivia Prize will be awarded in three categories:

  • Olivia Business – for an economic or business project carried out by a team of Residents.
  • Olivia Pro Bono – for a social project, carried out individually or in a team by the Residents.
  • Olivia Eco – for an ecological project, carried out individually or as a team by the Residents.

In addition, the Olivia Impact special award will be granted for the initiative assessed as the most impactful on the environment, within one of three categories. Projects completed or started in 2021 are eligible for the Olivia Prize 2021 awards.

Who can be nominated for the Olivia Prize?

Any person who works at the Olivia Centre, a company from Olivia and an initiative carried out individually or in groups can be nominated for the Olivia Prize. The age, position, or industry of the nominees doesn’t matter.

Who can apply for the award?

Anyone can submit an entry for the award. It is not necessary to be a Resident of Olivia Centre.

The aim of the Olivia Prize competition is to distinguish the most important implementations and initiatives of Olivia companies. Last year, the jury considered as many as 46 applications. The following were awarded: p-beep – for an innovative communication system in difficult working conditions; EPAM Systems – for the grassroots initiative of employees who, as volunteers, made and delivered personal safety equipment, including face shields, made using 3D printing technology, to Pomeranian hospitals. The main prize went to the Polish company VTS Group. The company’s flagship product, air handling units and air conditioning units, was appreciated. They find recipients all over the world, and their quality is evidenced by the fact that as many as 17 countries decided to use them in their pavilions during the EXPO 2020 exhibition in Dubai, which is coming to an end.

“Last year, we were very impressed by how many important and useful projects were implemented by our Residents in 2020. – says Bogusław Wieczorek from Olivia Business Centre. – Among the applications were activities in the field of ecology, animal protection, support for charitable organizations. They definitely dominated last year’s edition of the Olivia Prize. However, special recognition should be given to business projects, which were often carried out in spite of the difficult, dynamically changing situation on global markets. The thematic scope and scale of the projects submitted after such an exhausting 2020 make us look forward to the summary of the initiatives from 2021 with optimism and impatience. Importantly, the jury is composed of representatives of Olivia companies, so each award is particularly valuable, and the recognition from the business community often comes before the material dimension. –Adds.

This year, we are introducing an additional Olivia Eco category, which will be awarded in partnership with the United Nations Global Compact. UNGC was founded in 2000 and is now the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with more than 12,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories in more than 160 countries.

” Already last year, a significant part of the applications concerned social and ecological projects that our Residents implemented in 2020. We very much hope that the cooperation with UNGC as a partner of the award will additionally contribute to the promotion of such activities. At the same time, we are very pleased that such a significant institution is willing to engage in the project we are organizing to distinguish the valuable initiatives of our Residents. – sums up Bogusław Wieczorek.

Applications are accepted until February 28, 2022, and the results will be announced in mid-March.

Co-create. Co-celebrate. Dog Show in Olivia Star

Posted on by obc_adm

On 25 January, an exhibition presenting the idea of Kaunas as the European Capital of Culture 2022 was set up in the lobby of Olivia Star. The exhibition is an invitation to participate in the year-round, largest festival of joint creativity in the history of the city. The opening ceremony was conducted by the Ambassador of Lithuania to Poland, Eduardas Borisovas.




Among the invited guests were Rasa Rimickaitė, Attaché for Lithuanian Culture in Poland, Barbara Frydrych, Director of the Office of the Mayor of Gdańsk for Cultural Affairs. Bogdan Borusewicz, Marshal of the Senate, Magdalena Witkowska, Dean of the District Council of Legal Advisers in Gdańsk, Bożena Kisiel, President of the Society of Friends of Vilnius and the Vilnius Land, Celina Zboromirska-Bieńczak, Deputy General and Artistic Director of the Miniatura Municipal Theatre, Tomasz Snarski, PhD, Artistic Director of the Vilnius Festival in Gdańsk and Andrzej Stelmasiewicz, Councillor of the City of Gdańsk. On behalf of the Olivia Centre, the guests were welcomed by Bogusław Wieczore, Plenipotentiary of the Management Board for PR.

Kaunas has prepared more than a thousand cultural events, including more than 40 festivals, 60 exhibitions, 250 theatrical performances and the same number of concerts. On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania and the Olivia Centre, we cordially invite you to see the exhibition, learn about the planned initiatives and discover a unique place on the map of Europe and the world, which is only a few hours away. See you in Kaunas!

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2021 – the year of the Olivian Community. Look how much we’ve done together!

Posted on by obc_adm

2021 was a year of many challenges. For us, it was first and foremost the year of the Olivian Community. We have tried to create plenty of opportunities for the employees of our center to develop here personally and professionally, share their passions and interests, take care of mutual relationships, health and well-being. It was our Residents, their comfort and safety that we focused on.

 

We are very happy that so many companies have trusted us in this demanding and difficult time. Existing Residents are developing in Olivia and planning their future here. New companies have also joined the group of our tenants. Thank you and welcome you to Olivia Centre!

 

Download our report and see how much we have achieved together.

 

 

 

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT
PL version

 

 

 

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT
EN version

 

Just Join IT in Olivia

Posted on by Katarzyna Halicka

Only a few years ago, they were just a harmonious duo, which in an apartment in Gdańsk’s Żabianka district formed the foundations of a company that currently employs over 200 people. Their promotional campaigns, thanks to their high creativity, are causing a stir in the entire advertising industry. Now Just Join IT is moving to Olivia Centre, where it has rented the 13th floor of the newest Olivia Prime building.

 

The company was founded in 2017 by two friends, Piotr Nowosielski and Tomasz Gański. From the very beginning, they were distinguished by their unconventional approach, high creativity and search for solutions that would change the recruitment portal market. They focused on ease, openness and efficiency. Today, their portfolio consists of the Just Join IT, RocketJobs.pl and HelloHR brands and they are among the largest recruitment portals, which are visited by a total of nearly one million people per month.

 

Just Join IT is the most popular portal with job offers for the IT industry in Poland. It has built its position on the market in just five years, completely without the support of investors. It is visited every month by over 0.5 million Polish programmers, who at the same time view the ads more than 4 million times. Global companies such as Nokia, Ericsson, Google, Netguru, InPost, Tiktok, GSK Tech, Wakacje.pl, Samsung, Volvo, WP.pl, Orange Polska, Nike, T-Mobile, Empik and Allegro published their job offers on the justjoin.it.

 

RocketJobs.pl is the job portal of the future for candidates from marketing, sales, finance, engineering, HR, BI & Data and many others. Behind RocketJobs.pl is a community of more than 170,000 active members, gathered in a few Facebook groups, and the job portal itself is already visited by more than 400,000 white-collar workers per month.

 

Hello HR is the first job board for the HR industry in Poland, which started its operations in 2019. So far, more than 2,000 companies have used the portal, and it is visited by over 20,000 users from the industry every month. The company also owns projects such as Just Geek IT, RocketSpace, and Oh My Dev. In addition, since 2021, they have also been recruiting among employees with the Ukrainian language.

 

The three most recognizable signs of a company are an informal atmosphere, creativity, and diligence. Already in the first year of operation, Piotr and Tomek thought about organizing a unique event for the IT industry. He implemented this idea on September 26, 2019 and turned into the Just Join Games Developer Olympiad, in which 350 participants participated. Competitors tested their strength in hard disk throwing, monitor push, 1024-meter run, Olympic scrum, laptop sprint, deploy twisting, work-life balance, firewall jump or timed keyboard folding. The next edition of the event is scheduled for September this year, and tickets for it are still available.

 

In the spring of this year, their promotional campaign Conversation about Work was widely acclaimed, as part of which the needs and expectations of the young generation towards work and employers were presented, which for the older generation provide both knowledge about the expectations of the generation entering the labour market and about changes in the approach to work-life balance.

 

“We chose Olivia because of the dynamic growth we are recording year on year and the simultaneous need for quality space in the very center of Gdańsk’s business district,” says Piotr Nowosielski, CEO of Just Join IT. – In addition, the layout of Olivia Business Centre allows us to integrate teams despite the ubiquitous remote work. We are convinced that the new workplace will be the next element of our professionalization as early as January 2023.

 

The company will occupy a very representative 13th floor in the Olivia Prime office building. It is the newest building of the largest business centre in Poland, whose leading stylistic motif is biophilia: its interiors are filled with plants, the main finishing material in the common areas is wood, and most of the offices have extensive terraces and loggias, often filled with plants. The interior design of the Just Join IT office will be the responsibility of the award-winning
Design Anatomy
 studio, whose portfolio includes the development of over 100,000m2 of office space, including Sii’s offices, the interiors of the observation deck and the conference center at the top of Olivia Star.

 

“Olivia’s ecosystem has been creating a number of innovative companies for years, and the entry of Just Join IT will complement our tenant portfolio with a new, exceptionally creative team ,” he says Bogusław Wieczorek, Plenipotentiary of the Management Board of Olivia Centre. – Their activity is noticeable on the market, their positive energy is contagious to everyone they come into contact with, so it is also an added value for us in terms of building our community.

 

 

Olivia with a maximum WELL score for an encore!

Posted on by Katarzyna Halicka

Olivia Centre has maintained the world’s first maximum score in the international WELL certification. For the second time, it has been recognized as a completely safe, friendly and responsible place to work, receiving confirmation from the International Well Building Institute (IWBI) in New York. A year after the first certification, it maintained a maximum score of 25 points out of a possible 25 in all categories analyzed. The safety of building users was checked, as well as solutions improving the quality of life in the business centre. It received this rating in 22 basic categories and in 3 additional categories related to the innovations implemented in its area.

 

A year ago, Olivia achieved such a high result as the first business centre in the world, which confirms that Gdańsk’s buildings are among the world’s top business leaders. Olivia has confirmed its class for the second time – says Marcin Gawroński , Director of the Green Building Department at SWECO, the company responsible for carrying out the recertification in Olivia. – Safety, employee well-being, and high indoor water and air quality are the hallmarks of WELL Health-Safety Rating facilities. Last year, Olivia Centre achieved the maximum score in all analysed categories and this year it repeated this achievement. This is a huge success and a confirmation of the safety conditions and responsible approach to the management of the Olivia building complex – adds Marcin Gawroński.

 

The WELL Health-Safety Rating is a data-driven, third-party verified assessment for buildings, focusing on the analysis of operating policies, use and maintenance standards, stakeholder engagement and contingency plans to ensure maximum safety and comfort for their occupants. The certification is based on insights from nearly 600 government officials, scientists, business leaders, virologists, architects, designers, construction scientists, and real estate professionals, as well as the WELL building standard – the world’s leading platform for the development of healthy buildings and spaces. Many famous people from around the world have been involved in the extensive campaign for safety certification and restoring trust in public spaces, including Jennifer Lopez, Lady GaGa, Venus Williams, Robert DeNiro, Michael Jordan and many more.

 

You can view a campaign video on this page.

 

Proving actions through external validation confirms the commitment and concern for people’s well-being in every aspect. The assessment shows that Olivia Centre prioritises health and wellbeing, instilling confidence in frequent visitors and the wider community around it – wrote in a congratulatory letter Rachel Gordon, CEO of the International Well Building Institute in New York.

 

In addition to the well-being of building occupants, WELL certification includes a precise assessment of extensive infrastructure that improves safety and quality of life and work. A number of solutions have been noticed in Olivia Centre, which position it as a leader in the implementation of technologies that protect the health and life of employees in an imperceptible way. Olivia was one of the first office centers in the world to implement ion air purification technology in its buildings, previously used in the world’s most prestigious facilities, including the White House, the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, as well as in Gulfstream’s private jets. The installed devices saturate all rental areas with ions that have the ability to destroy viruses, bacteria and other pathogens in the ventilated air. The air purification process takes place continuously while people are in the room, so the fight against the pathogen begins from the moment it appears in the room.

 

In addition, the air filtration level has been increased from G4 to F7 in air handling units, which is one of the highest filtration levels currently available. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM) sensors were installed. Thanks to this, it is possible to monitor air purity and, as a result, eliminate harmful compounds from the fresh air drawn in from the outside and forced inside the buildings. Systems for controlling the intensity of air exchange based on the knowledge of current CO2 measurement results have also been installed, which contributes to a significant increase in the comfort of staying in the workplace.

 

The certification also includes initiatives implemented in the field of employee well-being. Projects organized on Olivia’s patio, sports sections, exhibitions of paintings, photographs and sculptures, as well as a publicly accessible, year-round exotic garden, in which there are nearly 4 thousand plants reaching up to 11 meters in height, were noticed. All these events and amenities can be used by Olivia’s residents and guests in a safe way, thanks to the solutions used. The sum of the solutions adopted resulted in such a high rating of the IWBI.

 

7 years of O4 Coworking… in numbers!

Posted on by Katarzyna Halicka

Our O4 Coworking is celebrating its 7th anniversary! So let’s give the floor to the representatives of O4, who decided to tell us about themselves… Numbers. And there’s a lot to be proud of!

 

THEREFORE… O4 COWORKING ABOUT ITSELF!

 

There are currently 167 of us, even though we are 1 coworking space and we are only 7 years old! How is that possible? The answer can be found in the O4ian satisfaction surveys, which we have been systematically conducting for years, and this is confirmed by the fact that although the pandemic caused a temporary regression in office leasing, in subsequent quarters of 2020 we observed a systematic rebound. On the occasion of the 7. On the occasion of the birthday of O4 Coworking, we had to sum up. Since the end of winter this year, we have been able to celebrate everyday life together at work again, and in July we rented the last, 65th year. office. Take a look at what we got out of these numbers.

 

We’re still growing

During the first half of 2022, 37 companies joined O4 and thus we are approaching a situation in which the O4 Coworking team will be left without an office. However, this is good news for us, the companies that are with us are gradually growing and it also happens that they migrate between spaces – from smaller to larger ones. Since February 2015, almost 500 companies of all sizes have passed through our coworking space. Currently, the O4ian community consists of about 1400 people who meet in an area of about 4000 m2. In the second quarter of 2022, we broke our sales record.

 

 

 

We like to learn

Those who are with us know that O4 Coworking is not only about offices and desks, but also about shared time, integration, networking and workshops – that is Warsztatownia.

 

Since 2018, two years before the creation of O4 Flow – a coworking space for women, 79 per cent of women have been working in the EU. The participants of our workshops were women. Among the most popular topics, chosen by about two-thirds of people, were: project management, personal branding, self-presentation and negotiations. Others willingly participated in trainings in the areas of creativity, communication and e-commerce.

 

The temporary switch to webinars during the pandemic increased the reach of the Workshop. 2020 was a record-breaking year in terms of the number of participants. We still prefer to learn in autumn. Our research shows that it is at this time of the year that the Workshop is most popular.

 

In general, live workshops win over online ones. They are chosen by 59 per cent. Participants. With the passing of the pandemic, there is also less and less interest in webinars – from a few hundred people to 20 during a webinar.

 

We are stationary and … Virtually

It’s been two years since we launched our virtual office service. This year, since August, we have expanded its scope and customers have more options, such as flexible access to desks, conference rooms on preferential terms, as well as the attractions of Olivia Centre – Olivia Garden or the observation deck.

 

After the change of packages, about 70 per cent. of customers have opted for the GOLD option, which, in addition to the registered address and correspondence handling, also provides access to the space and access to the attractions of Olivia Centre.

 

Dynamic changes and crises cause various bumps, but so far the upcoming recession has turned out to be the time of the greatest growth for us.

 

 

 

 

What will the 8th year bring for O4 Coworking? We look at it with great curiosity and we are ready for the next challenges.

 

 

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