Bring food and nature into the working day
The environment people work in, the food they eat and the opportunities they have to connect with nature and each other can all contribute to a healthier workplace experience.
A Farm brings these elements together through living edible planting, fresh produce and regular opportunities to step away from the desk and get involved.
How can a Farm support workplace wellbeing?
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A Farm brings nature and food growing into the workplace, creating opportunities for people to interact with plants rather than simply look at them.
Employees join regular harvests, learn about food and nutrition and take freshly harvested produce home. Farms can also provide the focus for workshops and events that encourage people to step away from their screens and spend time together.
Bringing wellbeing into the everyday workplace
Nature
Bring living, edible planting into the spaces people use every day.
Fresh food
Give people access to freshly harvested herbs, salads and leafy greens.
Away from screens
Harvests and activities offer the chance to engage in something physical.
Learning
Share knowledge about food, nutrition, growing and sustainability.
Connection
Opportunities for colleagues to spend time together.
More than biophilia
Bringing plants into workplaces can help people feel more connected to nature. A Farm adds another dimension by making that relationship interactive. People can touch and smell the plants, watch them develop, harvest crops and eventually eat what has been grown. Instead of nature being something people simply walk past, edible planting gives them a reason to stop and engage with it.
Make fresh food visible
The food environment around us can influence the choices we make. A Farm puts fresh herbs and leafy greens on display within the workplace, allowing people to see food growing.
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Produce can be taken home by employees, used by workplace catering teams or incorporated into food and nutrition activities.
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Our Urban Farmers can also share recipes, growing advice and information about the crops during harvests, helping people build a closer relationship with the food they eat.
Create moments to pause, learn and reflect
The Farm provides opportunities throughout the year to step away from everyday work and do something different.
Harvest: Spend time around living plants and take home freshly harvested produce.
Grow: Learn how food is grown and pick up practical tips for growing at home.
Cook: Take part in hands-on food and nutrition activities using fresh ingredients.
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Connect: Share an informal experience with colleagues away from desks and screens.
Can an Office Farm support WELL certification?
In our Greener Workplaces whitepaper, WELL Accredited Professionals from sustainability consultancy CPW assessed how Square Mile Farms' activities align with WELL v2. Their assessment identified relevance across a number of features, particularly within Nourishment and Mind, including food production, nutrition education, mindful eating and enhanced access to nature.
Nourishment
Fresh produce, food education and opportunities to make fruit and vegetables a visible part of workplace life.
Nature
Living edible planting gives people opportunities to see, touch, smell and interact with plants.
Mindful eating
Growing food where people work can help create a stronger connection between food production and what people eat.
Workplace wellbeing in action
See how organisations are using Farms to bring food, nature and shared experiences into everyday workplace life.
A sustainable employee experience
A workplace Farm gives employees opportunities to spend time around edible planting, take part in regular harvests and enjoy freshly grown produce, while supporting the organisation's wider sustainability programme.​
Bringing colleagues together
A Farmwall incorporated into a catering space grows fresh produce while supporting a workplace designed around opportunities for colleagues to meet and exchange ideas.​​
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