“We must combine the best of our past achievements with the most creative look to the future if we are to deepen solidarity and achieve a breakthrough for people and the planet.”
Our Common Agenda – Report of the Secretary-General
About us
UN Global Pulse is the place where innovation and the values of the UN Charter meet.
As the Secretary General’s Innovation Lab, UN Global Pulse supports responsible and inclusive innovation across the UN system. We collaborate with partners on new solutions and support the whole UN family in its transformation towards a UN 2.0.
Our work spans a spectrum of innovations using data, digital, behavioural science, strategic foresight methods – from broadening digital inclusion for women in Indonesia to predicting the impact of a disaster in the Philippines or building out a national data strategy in Uganda.
UN Global Pulse experiments and supports others in their experimentation with new capabilities and tools. Our role is not only to enable innovation but also to encourage a culture of creativity across the United Nations.
We believe in ethical principles and building multilateral coalitions to innovate for people, planet and future generations.
UN Global Pulse at a glance
Our vision
We envision a world in which responsible and inclusive innovation serves people, advances their sustainable development and protects the planet.
Our mission
We work at the intersection of innovation and the human sciences to inform, inspire and strengthen the ability of the United Nations family and those it serves to anticipate, respond and adapt to the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Our goals
- Advance innovations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, respond effectively to crises and address emerging global challenges.
- Facilitate the development of global frameworks that maximise the impact of innovation, minimise the risk of harm and create pathways to scale and sustainability.
- Support the transformation of the UN family into a more dynamic and resilient ‘next-generation’ institution.
Our history
Established in 2009, UN Global Pulse started as an innovation initiative to promote the ethical use of data and artificial intelligence across the UN family. We have grown into a partnership-focused network that advances responsible innovation and the transformation of the United Nations alongside the Secretary-General’s vision of a ‘United Nations 2.0’.
As our world changes rapidly, often in alarming ways, we believe it is crucial to not only react to crises but to also anticipate, respond and adapt to them. Today, our methods go beyond advanced data analytics, artificial intelligence and digital technologies and include strategic foresight, behavioural science and the latest innovation methods.
Since 2022, UN Global Pulse has served as the Secretary-General’s Innovation Lab. We’ve used the learnings from over a decade of teamwork and experimentation to become more forward-thinking and proactive. In this way, we contribute to making innovation become mainstream and help to build a UN 2.0, fit for the 21st century.
The people behind UN Global Pulse
UN Global Pulse unites specialists from the digital and social sciences to support a more networked, inclusive and effective multilateralism. Our team sees the world’s challenges and works alongside the UN family to imagine how the future might be different.
Our Offices
The UN Global Pulse team is distributed across the world, with offices in Finland, Indonesia, Uganda and New York.
Asia Pacific
Connect with usFinland
Connect with usUganda
Connect with usUnited States
Connect with us*UN Global Pulse activities are implemented through various partnerships, including through UNOPS and UNDP, and in line with their respective rules and regulations.