The idea of health-promoting schools was first articulated by WHO, UNESCO and UNICEF back in 1995 – no education system can be effective unless it promotes the health and well-being of its students, staff and community.

The closure of many schools during the COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe disruptions to education, caused an estimated 365 million primary school students to go without school meals, and significantly increased rates of stress, anxiety and other mental health issues. Now more than ever, it is important to make all schools places that promote, protect and nurture health.

We were appointed to develop the visual identity and promotional materials for this joint effort to support the launch of the Global Standards for Health Promoting Schools and the WHO guideline on School Health Services, aimed at improving the health and well-being of 2.3 billion school-aged children, adolescents and staff worldwide.

Working in close collaboration with the WHO and UNESCO teams, we designed a new visual identity and created a flexible design system using geometric shapes and character illustrations that reflect the subject matter.

These were supported by layered gridded patterns suggesting the strong framework that underpins the drive to make every school a health-promoting school, delivering a triple dividend for students today, the adults of tomorrow, and the generation of children to come.