The Geneva Global Initiative (GGI) promotes constructive engagement in advancing intergovernmental and inter-sectoral cooperation on preparedness for a risk of large-scale global systemic failure. The GGI takes a bold approach to creating connections, research, best-practice sharing and dialogue about what will happen in the event that global sustainability goals are not met, global challenges not addressed, and we confront systemic failure at levels not yet experienced by society. The GGI aims to help set the framework for whole-society responses in partnership with government agencies, multilateral institutions, private sector, and civil society programs. BACKGROUND Acknowledging that societies need to be much better prepared for responsibilities in the increasingly challenging circumstances, a convening of scientists in Crans Montana, Switzerland in 2016 founded Crans Consensus, which then gave rise the GGI as pro-active, practical response to the increasingly recognised predicament: while global challenges continue to mount, our collective capacities for corrective measures are very limited.