Measuring social progress from 1990 to 2020 across 170 countries. The Social Progress Index Time Series is the most expansive review of social progress ever undertaken.
It measures the social outcomes with 52 indicators across the 12 components that make up the Social Progress Index.
The Social Progress Time Series enables a comprehensive evaluation of the overall quality of life in a country or region, offering a deeper understanding of social and environmental performance. By tracking the performance of a country over 30 years, it helps determine how and where progress is being made in achieving social and environmental goals.
The Time Series allows for an in-depth analysis of the relationship between economic development and social progress, illustrating how an economic downturn impacts various social outcomes. It also identifies which areas of investment in a society yield the greatest social and economic results. Additionally, it measures the impact of significant large-scale events, from wars to pandemics, aiding in the preparation for and response to future global and local shocks.
Access to Information and Communications is a major driver for social progress since 1990 because it is the component that has improved the most in the last 30 years. However, we can see on the map that some countries are still lagging behind. Sub-Saharan Africa faces significant disparities when it comes to Access to Information and Communications as do other countries in the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia and East Asia.
North America led the world in social progress from 1990 until 2007, when the European Union took the lead. East Asia and the Pacific have also seen significant improvements, surpassing Central Asia and the Caucasus in the rankings. No other regions have changed positions in the rankings during this period.
European countries have been the leaders on social progress from 1990 to 2020. Being Canada the top performing country in 1990, now we see Switzerland, Norway and Denmark become the leaders.
Economic growth in the US has become much less inclusive over the last 31 years. We see that the US abandons the top 15 countries in 2000 and ranks #31 in 2020.
The Sub-Saharan Africa region has the most countries in the bottom 15 places on the Social Progress index Time Series.
China’s social progress has increased since 1990 and it has widened its lead over India in the last 31 years. Yet, when compared to its economic performance, its GDP per capita has increased by more than 1100% while its social progress has only increased by 43%.
The UK has improved two places in the rankings. It enjoyed strong inclusive growth from 1990 to 2010 but the last decade has seen a reversal with social progress flatlining despite continued economic growth and has slipped back in the rankings as a result.
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The Social Progress Index Time Series is an opportunity to provide policymakers with valuable insights into the progress of their country and the impact of policies over time. It creates an opportunity for engagement from communities, business and other key stakeholders, to address the areas of greatest need, to set goals, track progress and identify areas for improvement. The index provides a way to measure and track progress over time and helps to demonstrate transparency.
Government officials get free access to city—and state-level data. Register with your .gov account. If you don’t have a .gov email address, contact us, and we’ll provide you with access.
Investors can use the Social Progress Index Time Series as a tool to assess the social and environmental performance of countries. It can provide valuable insights for those looking to align their investments with their social and environmental values, while managing risk and identifying opportunities, particularly in the context of sovereign wealth funds where long-term sustainability is a critical consideration.
The media can use the index in their reporting across many different disciplines that includes health, education, the environment, policy, human rights and more. They can identify patterns and the relationship between different areas of social progress, and use data journalism and visualizations to bring this important information to the attention of the public.
Nonprofits can use the 31 year Social Progress Index Time Series to track progress and identify areas of need for their programs and services. By examining changes in social progress over time, nonprofits can monitor progress, inform program design and use it to advocate for social change.
The Social Progress Index Time Series enables corporate leaders to track progress and identify trends in the social and environmental wellbeing of the countries in which they operate. By better understanding the needs of their workers and consumers they can create practices and programs that have a positive impact.
The richness and volume of the 31 year Social Progress Index Time Series lends itself to supporting the work of academics across many disciplines. This includes international development, economics, political science, public policy, sociology, geography and environmental studies. The index provides a valuable tool for interdisciplinary research, as it can be used to compare the social progress of different countries or regions over time and across multiple dimensions.
The best part? Experience the SPI Platform’s intuitive design, offering easy navigation through rich visualizations. Plus, access the full dataset for a comprehensive exploration. Should you need assistance, our support team is always ready to help!
The Social Progress Index provides a comprehensive measure of societal wellbeing beyond economic indicators. Over the last decade, the Social Progress Imperative has utilized a rigorous framework that assesses 50+ indicators across three critical dimensions: Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Wellbeing, and Opportunity. This approach enables stakeholders to pinpoint specific areas for improvement and implement effective strategies to enhance social and environmental outcomes.