United Nations
Leading Globally with Humanity
Embedding psychological safety and inclusive leadership worldwide
When the world's largest humanitarian organisation set out to strengthen trust and integrity across 150+ countries, Humanology Group designed and delivered a global psychological safety program that reached over 4,000 employees. Using behavioural science, storytelling, and practical leadership tools, the multilingual initiative equipped leaders and teams in high-pressure humanitarian contexts to create environments where people feel safe to speak up, contribute ideas, and act with integrity. The program built a shared foundation for ethical decision-making, inclusive leadership, and collective care across diverse regions and complex operating environments.
Challenge
Operating in high-stakes environments, UNFPA's global workforce faced daily pressure, uncertainty, and ethical dilemmas requiring stronger trust and psychological safety. The challenge was creating a culturally relevant, scalable approach reaching thousands of employees across languages and regions, equipping leaders with behaviours that protect people, foster wellbeing, and uphold integrity globally.
Solution
Delivered in partnership with the UN's Global Head of Ethics, reaching over 4,000 employees globally:
Multilingual workshop series: Virtual sessions delivered across global regions in multiple languages
Behavioural science integration: Combining storytelling and practical leadership tools
Key focus areas: Link between psychological safety, trust, and ethics; speaking up and listening up across cultures; mental health in humanitarian contexts; inclusive leadership in distributed teams
Cultural relevance: Accessible design ensuring shared foundation for dialogue and integrity across all levels
Result
The program re-established connection and psychological safety across global teams:
· Participants reported stronger understanding of fostering trust and openness
· Greater confidence addressing sensitive issues constructively
· Renewed pride in a culture grounded in humanity and care
The learning series evolved into a global movement for trust, voice, and ethical leadership — helping the UN lead by example in creating workplaces that protect people and power performance.
WHY IT WORKED
The program succeeded because it combined behavioural science with cultural and linguistic accessibility, making psychological safety actionable across diverse global teams. By embedding inclusive leadership practices and ethical behaviours, UNFPA was able to strengthen trust, voice, and wellbeing at scale. It demonstrated that when people feel safe, supported, and included, ethical and high-performing cultures can flourish — even in the world’s most complex humanitarian environments.