This proposal advances a measurement framework that captures wellbeing, human development, value of care work, inclusivity and ecological sustainability, to replace the dominance of the GDP for understanding the state of our economy and society. Metrics shape our societal understanding of the current situation, progress, and projections into the future. Governments have long used GDP growth as a proxy for national progress, even though the problems of using GDP as a measure of societal wellbeing have been known for decades. As the report of the High Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP appointed by the UN Secretary-General emphasises, focusing only on GDP fails to recognise the multidimensional nature of sustainable development and wellbeing. To measure what truly matters for societal wellbeing, this proposal recommends that governments use multidimensional wellbeing frameworks that capture key dimensions of wellbeing and overcome the shortcomings of GDP. Over the years, many metrics have been proposed to move beyond GDP by a wide variety of actors. Among them, consensus has been forming around the Sustainable and Inclusive Wellbeing (SIW) framework , most recently highlighted in the High Level Expert Group’s recommendation, which highlights the need to measure three dimensions: a) ensuring current wellbeing (‘wellbeing’), including the key determinants of wellbeing; b) ensuring future wellbeing (‘sustainability’), encompassing biophysical and social conditions for future wellbeing; and c) limiting wellbeing inequalities for current and future generations (‘inclusion’), gauging the distribution of wellbeing determinants and opportunities across spatial scales and social groups. By seeking to move beyond GDP, this proposal seeks to engender a shift in our economies so we can measure what we truly value, reconsider what progress means, and re-evaluate how we distribute resources and commit to change.
