Swansea-based Raven Delta (RD) Group and its subsidiary Health and Wellbeing 360 (HWB360) have represented Wales and the UK on the world stage, showcasing Welsh-led innovation in healthy building standards at events linked to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
RD Group CEO, David Kieft, and HWB360 CEO, Dr Phil Webb, were invited to participate in ‘Healthy Indoor Air: A Global Call to Action’, an official UN side event focused on improving indoor air quality worldwide. At the event, they signed the Global Pledge – a landmark commitment recognising clean indoor air as a fundamental public health priority.
Other founding signatories included the Governments of France and Montenegro, the Australian Academy of Science, and RD Group subsidiaries MedicAir® and EFT Consult.
The following day, the pair joined global leaders, UN and WHO representatives, and leading researchers at a special International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and Hunter College event: “Improving Indoor Air Quality to Unlock Human Health, Organisational Performance and a Sustainable Future.”
Welsh expertise on the global stage
Dr Webb spoke on the Global Leadership Perspectives panel, alongside experts from Brown University, the Society for Indoor Environment, and the European Public Health Alliance. He shared insights from Wales and the UK’s pioneering approach to building health — covering topics such as data-driven environmental management, air quality governance, and the importance of standards like BS 40102-1:2023, developed by RD Group in collaboration with the British Standards Institute (BSI).
The discussions also opened doors for future collaboration with Brown University on indoor environmental quality research, further strengthening Wales’s role in international innovation and knowledge sharing.
A global invitation built on Welsh innovation
The invitation to the United Nations events follows years of groundbreaking work led by RD Group CEO, David Kieft, and his team in advancing indoor environmental quality (IEQ) standards and research. Kieft played a pivotal role in the development of the world’s first technical standard focused on the health and wellbeing of building occupants – British Standard BS 40102-1:2023 – which has since gained international recognition.
This landmark standard, originally inspired by Welsh Government legislation aimed at safeguarding future generations, was created through a collaboration between RD Group’s EFT Consult, academia and industry partners, and the British Standards Institute (BSI). It set a new global benchmark for measuring and improving the quality of indoor environments, addressing key health and wellbeing factors such as air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, and acoustics.
Kieft’s leadership in this field has been widely recognised, most notably with the BESA President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement, one of the building services industry’s highest honours. Under his guidance, RD Group has grown into a multi-faceted, award-winning collective of companies, leading the way in sustainable building services, air quality innovation, and environmental design – with its influence now extending from South Wales to the world stage.
Dr Phil Webb, CEO of HWB360, said:
“Indoor environmental quality is a global issue that impacts every country, every sector, and every family. Wales is now part of shaping the global roadmap, and that’s an incredibly powerful story of how local expertise can have a worldwide impact through international collaboration.”
David Kieft, CEO of Raven Delta Group, added:
“This was a landmark moment for our companies, for Wales, and for the UK. It shows that innovative SMEs from Swansea can influence global policy and public health priorities. We’re proud to carry the Welsh flag into these discussions and demonstrate how world-class solutions can come from our communities.”
