Evaluation and Redesign of the Sustainable Society Index, SSI

Since the launch of the Sustainable Society Index (SSI) in 2006, we have received many remarks and suggestions. Besides, during the last few years there have been important developments in the world around us with respect to measuring sustainability, not in the least those stimulated by the Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi report. In view of the next update of the SSI, the SSI-2010, to be published by the end of this year, we have evaluated the current SSI. This process resulted in various alternative designs for a revised SSI. Though no framework will be perfect, we have decided on a setup, which is even more balanced and transparent than the current one:

    I. Human Wellbeing, with 3 categories
  • Basic Needs
  • Personal Development
  • Well-balanced Society
    II. Environmental Wellbeing, with 3 categories
  • Healthy Environment
  • Climate & Energy
  • Natural Resources
    III. Safeguard to Wellbeing, with 2 categories
  • Preparation for the future
  • Economy.
The cluster Safeguard to Wellbeing is introduced to measure
  • the transition of the economy to sustainability,
  • the possibility to sustain wellbeing over years,
  • the contribution of the economy to the actual wellbeing of a society.

A short explanation of the evaluation and redesign of the SSI can be downloaded here.

The new update, the SSI-2010, will be based on this setup. The two previous editions of the SSI (2006 and 2008) will be recalculated according to the new setup, in order to enable comparisons over time.

Download Redesign SSI here


21 January 2010