Sustainable Society Foundation

Description of the Sustainable Society Index (SSI)

Sustainable development is very much in the spotlights. No less than 96% of all people claim to consider sustainable development important. However, nobody can give a good answer to the question to what extent our society is sustainable.

Over the years many indexes have been developed, among which some very good ones. However, until recently there was no index which: :

  • comprises all aspects of a sustainable society,
  • is simple, clear and transparent,
  • is adequate for a comparison between countries,
  • and is regularly updated.

For this reason, a new index - the Sustainable Society Index (SSI) - has been developed by the Sustainable Society Foundation. The newly developed Sustainable Society Index, the SSI, integrates for the first time sustainability and quality of life in an understandable way. The SSI is based on public data from scientific research institutes and international organizations.

A detailed description can be read in A comprehensive index for a sustainable society: The SSI - the Sustainable Society Index, published in Ecological Economics, Volume 66/2-3, pp 228-242.

Definition of sustainability

The definition of the Brundtland Commission is the solid foundation on which the SSI has been built: to which an important aspect is added:

A sustainable society is a society

  • that meets the needs of the present generation,
  • that does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,
  • in which each individual has the opportunity to develop himself in freedom, within a well-balanced society and in harmony with its surroundings.
Adding the third aspect is important to get a clear view of the quality of life in a country. Without quality of life sustainability makes no sense and quality of life without sustainability has no future.

The Design of the SSI

The framework of the Index for a Sustainable Society consists of five categories, each comprising several indicators.

  1. Personal Development
    1. Healthy Life
    2. Sufficient Food
    3. Sufficient to Drink
    4. Safe Sanitation
    5. Education Opportunities
    6. Gender Equality

  2. Healthy Environment
    1. Air Quality
    2. Surface Water Quality
    3. Land Quality

  3. Well-balanced Society
    4.
    1. Good Governance
    2. Employment
    3. Population Growth
    4. Income Distribution
    5. Public Debt

  4. Sustainable Use of Resources
    5.
    1. Waste Recycling
    2. Use of Renewable Water Resources
    3. Consumption of Renewable Energy

  5. Sustainable World
    6.
    1. Forest Area
    2. Preservation of Biodiversity
    3. Emission of Greenhouse Gases
    4. Ecological Footprint
    5. International Cooperation

This framework, based on the - extended - definition of the Brundtland Commission, has been developed over the past few years. In this respect choices had to be made. It is very likely that the design of the SSI will be developed further during the years to come, building upon further research and the experiences of the growing number of users of the SSI.
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