CSSN-Index ranks 133 nations based on social progress

Index ranks 133 nations based on social progress

Author : Chu Guofei Source : Chinese Social Sciences Today 2015-05-11

The Social Progress Imperative (SPI), a US-based non-profit, released its 2015 Social Progress Index, which ranks 133 countries in terms of social progress made in three aspects: basic human needs, foundations of wellbeing and opportunity.

There were 52 indicators used to measure outcomes in each, including nourishment, access to water and sanitation, access to basic knowledge and advanced education, life expectancy, greenhouse gas emissions, and personal and political freedoms.

The index was created by a team led by Michael Porter of the Harvard Business School. It is a comprehensive framework for measuring the health of a society by examining if a society is progressing, citizens are having their needs met and opportunities are available to all its citizens. According to the new global index, Norway took the number one spot, followed by Sweden, Switzerland, Iceland, New Zealand, Canada, Finland, Denmark, Netherlands and Australia.

Porter said successful growth has to be inclusive growth that requires economic and social progress. Not only is social progress essential to sharing the benefit of economic growth with the average citizen but it is also critical to long-run economic success.

Editor: Du Mei