5 ways office space is getting a new lease of life

With social value playing an increasingly larger role in corporate strategies, businesses are seeking ways to give back to local communities.

One global e-commerce firm formed a partnership with a local non-profit to give a number of floors in their Seattle building over to the creation of a homeless shelter. Separated from the space used by employees, it has its own private entrance, a large dining room, an industrial kitchen with commercial cooking equipment, recreation spaces for children and teens and office space for the firm’s legal team to provide support to shelter residents.

Another initiative in Dubai sees a global bank opening the ground floor of their building for a weekly farmer’s market, benefiting both local producers and employees.

In the UK, Lloyds Banking Group has announced they’re seeking partners to redevelop their empty offices and decommissioned data centers into new social housing projects, as part of a longer-term strategy to help increase the supply of affordable homes.