We are proud to announce that UNJSPF has become the first UN Entity, and one of few organizations globally, to achieve the ISO/IEC 42001:2023 Certification on the Responsible and Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence. 

Rosemarie McClean, Chief Executive of UNJSPF commented on this groundbreaking achievement, as a demonstration of the UNJSPF commitment to responsible and ethical AI adoption, aligning with UN principles for safe and trustworthy AI systems.

Dino C. Dell’Accio, Chief Information Officer of UNJSPF, elaborated on the scope of the certification and its implementation, which applies to the UNJSPF Digital Identity solution for proof-of-life (i.e., Digital Certificate of Entitlement). The solution integrates biometric recognition, AI, blockchain, and geo-localization to enhance proof-of-life verification for pension recipients, while using AI to detect and prevent deepfakes, or artificially manipulated footage depicting events, statements or actions that never actually happened.

This certification showcases UNJSPF’s dedication to transparency, security, and ethical governance in AI implementation with an established a comprehensive framework for the responsible development, deployment, and oversight of AI in the digital identity solution for proof-of-life (Digital Certificate of Entitlement, DCE).

More specifically, this means that the Fund has implemented structured protocols ensuring that the DCE biometric facial recognition adheres to key ethical principles, which are critically important when handling sensitive personal biometric data. These protocols also establish robust safeguards against potential sophisticated identity fraud through deepfakes. By integrating this AI management system into the existing operational structure, UNJSPF is committed to balance technological innovation with ethical governance, protecting members from potential biases in AI decision-making, and ensuring that proper security measures exist to protect sensitive information.

UNJSPF extends its gratitude to the United Nations International Computing Centre, a valued partner, whose technical expertise was instrumental in this success.

The technical expertise of UNICC enabled the Fund to develop a state-of-the art solution that integrates multiple ISO standards (ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 20000, and ISO/IEC 30107-3), into a robust governance framework.

This achievement not only sets a new standard for the UN and the international community at large but also underscores the importance of collaboration and ethical innovation in AI development.