Social Progress Index Time Series
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.
Key Insights
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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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- Country Profiles: Over 12 visualizations showcasing population, SPI vs GDP per capita, SPI scores, rank changes and annual performance comparisons with detailed breakdowns of dimensions, components, and indicators.
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- Regional Data Access: Compare regions and explore trends.
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- Rank Changes: Explore rank changes at all levels of SPI since 1990.
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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.
- Identify trends: By analyzing the social progress index over 31 years, policymakers can identify trends and patterns in social progress within their country. This information can help them to identify areas where progress has been made, areas that are stagnant, and areas that are in decline.
- Set goals: Policymakers can use the social progress index to set goals for the future. By looking at areas where progress has been slow, they can set targets for improvement and use the social progress index to track progress towards those targets over time.
- Evaluate policy impact: Policymakers can use the social progress index to evaluate the impact of policies over time. By comparing social progress index scores before and after the implementation of a policy, policymakers can determine whether the policy had the desired effect on social progress.
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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.
- Identify countries with improving and stable social progress: The Time Series can help investors identify countries whose social progress has improved significantly over the past 30 years, which may be attractive for investment. Countries that rank highly tend to have more stable political systems, higher levels of economic growth, and lower levels of social unrest.
- Evaluate risk: Investors can evaluate the risk of investing in a particular country. A country with low or volatile social progress may be more prone to social unrest, political instability, and environmental degradation, which can increase risk.
- Select investment opportunities: Investors can select opportunities that align with their social and environmental values, enabling them to support sustainable and socially responsible economic development.
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.
- Storytelling: The Social Progress Index Time Series is a powerful storytelling tool for journalists, enabling them to highlight the human impact of social and environmental issues. By using the index to show how different countries changed over 31 years in areas such as health, education, and access to basic needs, journalists can draw attention to the experiences of individuals and communities affected by these issues.
- Accountability: The Social Progress Index Time Series can also be used to hold governments and other institutions accountable for progress or lack thereof since 1990. Journalists can use the index to assess whether governments are delivering on their promises and commitments to improve social and environmental outcomes.
- Advocacy: Journalists can use the time series to advocate for policies and actions that will improve social and environmental outcomes. By highlighting areas where progress is needed and identifying best practices and success stories from around the world, journalists can help to build public support for positive change.
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.
- Identify trends: Nonprofits can use the time series data to identify long-term trends in social progress and use this information to plan their programs and services. They can identify areas where progress has been slow or stagnant and work to address these issues.
- Advocacy and fundraising: Nonprofits can use the time series data to advocate for policy changes and funding to support their work. They can use the data to demonstrate the importance of their mission and the impact they have had over time.
- Collaboration and partnerships: The Time Series can be a valuable resource for nonprofits seeking to collaborate and form partnerships with other organizations, governments, or businesses. Through the lens of this data organizations can align their efforts, pool resources, and develop comprehensive strategies to address complex social challenges together.
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.
- Strategic planning: The 31 year time series can help corporate leaders understand the trajectory of social progress in a country and identify areas where their company can have the most impact. This can inform strategic planning and resource allocation decisions.
- Evaluate risk: Understanding the social and environmental factors that contribute to wellbeing can help corporates identify and mitigate risks associated with their operations.
- Engage stakeholders: The Social Progress Index provides a common language and framework for engaging with stakeholders, including local communities, NGOs, and investors. Corporates can use the data to demonstrate their impact and identify areas for collaboration with other stakeholders.
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.
- Research: Social progress data can be used as a valuable source of information for academic research. For example, researchers could use the time series data to analyze trends in social progress over time, or to investigate the impact of specific policies or interventions on social progress, or to analyze relationships between social progress and other concepts.
- Teaching: Social progress data can be used as a teaching tool in academic courses related to social and economic development. Educators can use the data to illustrate key concepts and theories related to development, and to help students understand how social progress is measured and evaluated.
- Advocacy: Academic researchers can use social progress data to advocate for specific policies or interventions aimed at improving social progress outcomes. By analyzing the data and identifying areas where progress has been slow or stagnant, researchers can make evidence-based arguments for why specific policies or interventions are needed.
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About the Social Progress Index
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.
Methodology
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