We believe that safety science is at the heart of a safer, more secure, and sustainable future.

Since our founding in 1894, we have conducted rigorous independent research and developed safety standards to improve living and working conditions throughout the world.

As we grow to meet tomorrow’s safety challenges, we envision a future where safety science research is more available and more impactful than ever before. Today’s rapidly changing world needs a renewed commitment to safety — as a modern, collaborative, and global practice that moves in tandem with discovery. This is the vision that Underwriters Laboratories has long championed and the future we are helping to build.

By convening global experts from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, we’re able to advance fundamental and applied safety science research, facilitate critical partnerships, and engage a wide range of stakeholders. Our collaborative research supports careful analyses of current safety trends, and we oversee the creation of trusted standards to guide the safe and sustainable use of new products and emerging technologies. Through our work, we serve as a vital resource and facilitator for policymakers in regulatory and legislative environments.

Our Mission

We are three distinct organizations united by a shared mission: working for a safer world.

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Research Organization

Our Research organization furthers a common, evidence-based understanding of the benefits and risks of emerging products and new technologies. The work we do helps us discover the unintended consequences of developing technologies and fosters an inclusive conversation about how best to address them. Our scientists conduct rigorous, independent research, and our experts collaborate closely with academic and institutional partners to deliver lasting scientific contributions. This combination positions us to scan for and assess human safety risks. In so doing, we help society address urgent safety challenges.

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Standards and Engagement Organization

Our Standards and Engagement organization develops and maintains consensus-based safety standards for both emerging and legacy products and technologies. We combat global safety challenges by serving as a critical facilitator among a wide array of stakeholders. Through a combination of data analysis, expert testimony, and deliberation, we work to bring members of standards technical panels into alignment on a common set of safety requirements. By engaging in regulatory and legislative environments, we strive to make deeper contributions to society through meaningful public and private partnerships.

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How We Work Together

Our Research and Standards and Engagement organizations are complementary groups working toward our shared safety mission. While the Research organization addresses risks to safety through research, exploration, and communications, our Standards and Engagement organization advances safety by overseeing the development of consensus-based safety standards and providing proactive engagement, advocacy, and policy initiative support.

Both organizations continue to advance our shared mission with UL Inc., our for-profit subsidiary, testing, advisory, and certification business. The three organizations execute distinctly focused strategies supporting the shared safety science mission.

Leadership Team

Executive Leadership

Senior Leadership

Board of Trustees

Governance of Underwriters Laboratories is guided by a Board of Trustees comprised of individuals with a broad range of backgrounds and professional experiences.