As part of its remit to improve wellbeing, the Carnegie UK Trust worked with Sustainable Development Commission, Scotland (SDC) to examine how social and economic progress can be measured and linked to wellbeing.

The Trust and SDC established a twelve-strong high-level round table to consider the challenges and evidence of how the current Scottish Government measures economic and social progress..

Chaired by Professor Jan Bebbington, Chair of the SDC, with the Carnegie UK Trust’s Angus Hogg acting as Vice Chair, the round table brought together representatives of government, business, public services and civil society.

• Professor Jan Bebbington, Scottish Commissioner, Sustainable Development Commission
• Angus Hogg, Vice Chair, Carnegie UK Trust
• Sir John Elvidge, Ex-Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government (2003-2010)
• Tricia Henton, Director of Environment and Business at the Environment Agency (2005-2010), and previous CEO of SEPA (2000-2005)
• Kaliani Lyle, Scotland Commissioner, Equalities and Human Rights Commission
• Ian McKay, Director of Scottish Affairs, Royal Mail Group
• Iain McWhirter, Columnist and Broadcaster
• Stewart Murdoch, Director of Leisure & Communities, Dundee City Council
• Professor Duncan Maclennan CBE, School of Geography & Geosiences, University of St Andrews
• Martin Sime, Chief Executive, SCVO
• Douglas Sinclair, Chair – Consumer Focus Scotland, & Member of the Accounts Commission for Scotland
• Dr Karen Turner, Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde Business School, & Research Associate at the Fraser of Allander Institute

This Scottish round table was set up to review the findings of the Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi Commission and make recommendations about their use in Scotland. The Stiglitz Report called for the establishment of Round Tables nationally to “identify and prioritise those indicators that carry the potential for a shared view of how social progress is happening and how it can be sustained over time.”

The aim was to create a high level of consensus among the political parties for an approach to measuring social and economic progress which takes account of factors other than the traditional measurement of GDP.  This should include a consideration of social and environmental factors which contribute to a sense of wellbeing.  Public policy would then be driven by these broader measures. 

The approach of this project put great emphasis on the involvement of stakeholders and the potential for a shared view of how progress can be measured and sustained over time. The round table was clear that its role was to be a catalyst for further debate and discussion, with its initial work leading onto more technical work that will be required if Scotland is to follow the key recommendations of the Stiglitz Commission.

The report from the round table titled 'More than GDP- Measuring What Matters' was launched in Edinburgh on the 19th May 2011.  It is available here and has been disseminated widely throughout the UK and Ireland.