Question 1

What is a Wellbeing Economy?

Accepted Answer

A Wellbeing Economy is an economy designed to deliver good lives on a healthy planet.

Instead of prioritising endless economic growth for, in a Wellbeing Economy we would prioritise meeting our fundamental needs for:

Dignity: everyone should have  enough to live in comfort, safety and happiness 
Nature: a restored and safe natural world for all life 
Purpose: a sense of belonging and institutions that serve the common good 
Fairness: justice in all its dimensions should be at the heart of economic systems, and the gap between the richest and poorest greatly reduced
Participation: citizens should be actively engaged in their communities and the decisions that affect them.

These five needs were co-produced with WEAll members from around the world. They echo concepts that are found in religious texts, indigenous teaching and numerous surveys about what really matters to people.

Watch our co-founder Dr Katherine Trebeck explain it here ↓

Question 2

What does WEAll Scotland do?

Accepted Answer

We’re working with others to create an unstoppable momentum towards a Wellbeing Economy: an economic system that ensures everyone can live with dignity, experience fairness and connection, and participate in the decisions that affect them – all while we protect the health of our planet.

To date we’ve built a diverse network of over 100 member organisations, including national NGOs, grassroots community groups, and businesses who share our vision. We’ve secured headline commitments from the Scottish Government and we’ve partnered with a range of influential bodies, like Foundation Scotland, to help them transform their thinking and practice.

This is just the start of our journey. With our first staff team in place and our growing network we will:
 
Change the public conversation about the purpose and direction of the economy
Amplify examples of promising practices which show Wellbeing Economy thinking in action
Advocate to influence economic policy at the national and local levels
Collaborate with a particular emphasis on business practice and ownership models, influencing national economic policy and local economies.

Find out more about what we’re trying to achieve and how we’ll get there.

Question 3

How can I get involved?

Accepted Answer

We're so glad you asked! WEAll Scotland is an alliance, and it's going to take a huge movement of people working at different levels of our economic system to change it. Here are some of the things you can do.

1. Become a member: by signing up your adding your voice to our movement and you'll be invited to collaborate on a range of projects chosen by our members. Joining is free. Simply fill in this short form and we'll be in touch.

2. Email your MSPs asking what action they'll take to redesign our economy so it works for people and planet.

3. Check out our upcoming events.

4. Use our resources like our policy design guide to learn more and think about you can do with the power you have.

5. If you're a policy maker, sign up to our policy makers network. It's a safe space for those working on transforming our economy to talk openly about the challenges and opportunities and learn from each other. Email lukas@scotland.weall.org to get involved.

6. If you have time, enthusiasm or skills to offer why not become a volunteer?

7. Donate to help us continue our work. We currently rely on short term project funding to cover our modest costs but we have big goals!

4. Sign up to our newsletters and follow us on Twitter so you never miss out.

Question 4

Where can we see progress towards a Wellbeing Economy?

Accepted Answer

Our movement is in its infancy but there is already huge appetite for change. Governments are making headline commitments and citizens around the world are demanding action.

The governments of Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Iceland, Wales and Scotland are working together as part of a Wellbeing Economy Governments partnership (WEGo). WEGo  aims to deepen member states’ understanding of wellbeing economics and co-create and test alternative visions of economic progress.

New Zealand has recently issued its fourth annual Wellbeing Budget, focusing on health, the cost of living and climate change. Wales’ Wellbeing of Future Generations Act now requires public bodies in Wales to think about the long-term impact of their decisions, to work better with people, communities and each other, and to prevent persistent problems such as poverty, health inequalities and climate change. You can find out more about the Wellbeing Economy Governments are doing here.

The Scottish Government has set out its aim to put Scotland on a path towards a Wellbeing Economy in its Strategy for Economic Transformation and has recently published Scotland’s first Wellbeing Economy Monitor. The Monitor examines a collection of measures, from health to inequality and greenhouse gas emissions, to track whether Scotland is on its way to becoming a Wellbeing Economy. It’s rooted in the National Performance Framework which describes the kind of Scotland that we want to create; a Scotland made up of inclusive and safe communities, where every child can grow up safe, loved and protected and where our natural environment is valued and nourished. Our National Performance Framework provides a starting foundation for valuing and measuring what we really matters. But there’s a long way to go before we are really redesigning the economy so it puts people and planet first.

At the local level, things look more optimistic. Community Wealth Building in places like North Ayrshire is a fantastic example of Wellbeing Economy thinking in action. Its a people-centred approach to local economic development, which redirects wealth back into the local economy, and places control and benefits into the hands of local people. We’re also working with Perth & Kinross council to trial more participatory approaches to budget setting. Elsewhere, in places like Linwood, communities are taking matters into their own hands.

A new generation of businesses is already demonstrating what enterprises could look like in a wellbeing economy. Innovative leaders are increasingly redefining what it means to succeed and putting collective prosperity before the narrow metric of profit. Social enterprises, coops and employee-owned businesses are growing. These types of enterprises have a major role to play in enhancing the wellbeing of workers, communities and the environment.

And, we have public opinion on our side. A recent survey found almost two thirds of people believe the pandemic has shown the need to move to a Wellbeing Economy. Three in four people agreed there is a need to re-evaluate who creates real value in the economy.

Visit our stories of change in action page for more.

Question 5

Who funds you?

Accepted Answer

We work in partnership with organisations who want to put Wellbeing Economy thinking at the heart of their work and we rely on funding from a range of organisations to achieve our mission.

We currently receive core funding from Friends Provident to expand our allies network and we are partnering with Bosch Foundation, Cattanach, Cairngorms Park Authority and Foundation Scotland on short-term projects. We don't receive any government funding.

You can read more about these partnerships on our funders page.

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