Bloomberg Philanthropies Approach

Rely on Data

Shanghai is one of ten Chinese cities that have implemented smoke-free laws

Bloomberg L.P. revolutionized the world of finance by making reliable market data available at the touch of a button. The Bloomberg Administration brought the same data-driven approach to New York’s City Hall, becoming a leader in providing open data and promoting public-sector accountability.

Bloomberg Philanthropies continues that legacy, following the data to identify problems, target new solutions, and measure progress. Data for Health provides data and policy training for government officials to strengthen how they use data in the policy-making process.

In Shanghai, Bloomberg Philanthropies collaborated with city officials to help them analyze data on the risks of secondhand smoke and respond with proven, life-saving policies. The training enabled officials to understand the threat that secondhand smoke posed for residents, draft a report detailing their findings, and convince lawmakers to pass a smoke-free law that will save and improve lives across the city. This approach proved so successful that the city is using it in other policy areas, including road safety. Through a similar process, the city has passed a law that requires the use of helmets on electric bikes.

More than 30,000 health professionals trained to use data to help make better public health policy.