Beyond the SDGs and GDP

The following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 interconnected goals designed to address the global challenges we face by 2030. They are put forward as the ‘blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all’.

1. No poverty
2. Zero hunger
3. Good health & wellbeing
4. Quality education
5. Gender equality
6. Clean water and sanitation
7. Affordable and clean energy
8. Decent work and economic growth
9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure
10. Reduced inequalities
11. Sustainable cities and communities
12. Responsible production and consumption
13. Climate action
14. Life below water
15. Life on land
16. Peace, justice and strong institutions
17. Partnerships for the goals

I largely support these goals. Some are great stepping stones, whereas others take us further along the road to where we want to be. However, there is criticism that the goals have failed to achieve any meaningful impact, policy change or really capture the general publics imagination. Why is that? I think there are several reasons as follows:

1. Some goals are expressed negatively and are difficult to relate to. Any behavioural scientist will tell you that we should express goals as a positive. Let’s not think about what we don’t want. Let’s think about what we do want. They have also been designed in a way that misses the Whats In It For Me (WIIFM) ingredient that is required to successfully engage individuals.
2. There are seventeen of them, making it a challenge to remember and organise in our brains.
3. Perhaps most importantly, they lack an overarching vision that we can really aspire to. Is sustainable development what you really aspire to in your life? Does it get you excited?

Let’s take a closer look at some examples.

From No Poverty to Prosperity for All

Whilst ‘no poverty’ is a gallant goal, it doesn’t tell the whole story. It is well known that the vast majority of wealth and resources in the world are held by the minority. A more compelling vision and goal would be prosperity for all. This should involve raising people up past poverty to prosperity and also finding ways to redistribute wealth and wellbeing from those who have gained through ill means, loopholes, or just due to the unfairness of our current systems.

From Zero Hunger to Nutritious Diets for All

In respect to ‘zero hunger’, this is another great step forward, but what we should really be aiming for is nutritious diets for all. We have a problem with obesity in many countries, so this isn’t just about hunger. In fact, there are more obese people in the world than there are those going hungry. It is about ensuring all people have access to nutritious, healthy food. In the developed world, at least, part of the reason for the strain on our health services is excessive and irresponsible consumption of food and alcohol so we need to work at this level too.

From Preventing Death and Disease to Lives of Vitality

In a similar vein, the UN SDG on ‘Health & Wellbeing’ is largely focused on reduction of death, disease, accidents, and greater access to health-care and medicines. There is little to no recognition of positive mental health such as creativity and imagination. We need to think differently about health and create lifestyles where people can be mentally creative, physically fit, and spiritually awakened.

From Basic Education to Education for Human Flourishing

The ‘Quality Education’ goal makes no mention about the potential impacts of automation and artificial intelligence. These two challenges and opportunities could have a profound impact on jobs and the future skills we need. Achieving greater participation and proficiency in basic education, such as reading and mathematics, is great but we also need to refocus education on technology, interpersonal, and creative skills. In essence creating future citizens who can flourish. Here’s a vision of what education could look like in the future.

From GDP Growth to Wellbeing Growth

The ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’ goal continues to focus on economic growth and increasing
productivity as the main focus and priority. But the world’s population is growing and many of the resources we have are finite. Post growth, de-growth, circular economy, doughnut economics and, the Club of Rome 1972 seminal report ‘The Limits to Growth’, all demonstrate why this is just not feasible.

This is one of the biggest challenges we face. No one wants to see the quality of their life eroded and I think this is one of the main fears people in developed nations have when talking about sustainability. However, there is clearly an imbalance that needs to be addressed. We need to view growth and progress differently. We need to link them with wellbeing and not just economic measures and productivity.

What if?

• We could improve the quality of our lives by working less and doing more of what we want
• We consume less of what is bad for our wellbeing and more of what is good

I believe all of this is possible and we could all live better lives, within planetary boundaries, by focusing on developing wellbeing growth and wellbeing economies.

From equality to fairness, diversity, unity and harmony

Finally, ‘equality’ is a poor focus. We are all unique and there will always be some people who want more and some who are just as happy, if not more, with less. This is part of human nature. What we should be aiming for is fairness, diversity, unity and harmony. In arguing against a focus on equality I in no way diminish the need to eradicate discrimination across the world. It is clear that there are many ways in which people are still treated unfairly and even abhorrently. However, we should focus on creating a fairer, more diverse, unified and harmonious world for all, whether women, men, black, white, gay, straight or other.

From Technical Expertise to an Inspiring Vision

I must say, at this point, that I am not putting myself above the thousands of experts who have contributed to the UN SDGs or the UN itself. They are more expert than I in each of their particular fields and the UN is a fantastic organisation focused on bringing humanity together, which is exactly what we need. I have read many of their papers and have used much of their research and the SDGs to shape my own thinking. However I do think that, whilst the work is steeped in technical expertise, it lacks real vision and imagination. So, in order to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem, I put forward a new vision that builds on the SDGs but takes us further.

A world where we can all thrive

We are now at a critical point. We have the opportunity to form a unified and inclusive global society. A society that works symbiotically with technology and the planet as a whole. The journey to this future will be uncertain. It will take a leap of faith and courage to get there. To help people navigate this uncertainty, take a leap and move forward with courage, we need a positive vision of the future. I believe ‘a world where we can all thrive’ is that vision.

In order to help us get there and build on the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals I put forward eight wellbeing goals, one for each of the following eight domains:

1. We are creative and imaginative
2. We feel at ease with ourselves and each other
3. We are physically vital
4. We are spiritually fulfilled
5. We are socially engaged
6. We are living in cultural harmony
7. We are living in flourishing environments
8. We are economically prosperous

I hope you can see how these goals achieve the following:

• They work across cultures at an individual, organisational, community, national and global level and more than cover all seventeen of the UN SDGs
• They are aspirational and focused on positive outcomes
• They are easily understood and measurable. In fact many of the goals, targets and measures set up by the UN can be realigned to these goals.

Find Out More

If you’d like to find out more about the ideas supporting this article:

• Read ‘The Age of Wellbeing’ – A new Leadership Model for a Happier World from which these excerpts were taken
• Contact David to discuss how he can help you, your team or organisation thrive

Take action

If you think this vision and goals are more inspiring and engaging than the ones put forward by the UN:

• Contact the UN and let them know, providing a link to this article.
• Implement this vision and goals into your own life whether that be at a personal, team, community, organisational or national level.