What does prosperity and wellbeing mean to you?
How can we improve our wellbeing and create a world of possibilities for citizens across the globe?
Financial security, career success and education are important to us, but we increasingly value emotional, physical and mental health. This comes from things like a good work-life balance and regular contact with loved ones.
“A good life or a flourishing life is about much more than money. It's agency and empowerment. It's social relationships and a sense of purpose and a feeling of being valued – living a life of dignity.”
The prospect of building a better future is fuelling optimism, particularly among the younger generation who expect their wellbeing to improve in the coming years.
However, just 32% of people worldwide say they feel they have a good level of wellbeing today.
Santander’s Global Wellbeing Index reveals how we can boost wellbeing for people at different life stages and in different parts of the world.
What does prosperity and wellbeing mean to you?
How can we improve our wellbeing and create a world of possibilities for citizens across the globe?
Financial security, career success and education are important to us, but we increasingly value emotional, physical and mental health. This comes from things like a good work-life balance and regular contact with loved ones.
The prospect of building a better future is fuelling optimism, particularly among the younger generation who expect their wellbeing to improve in the coming years.
However, just 32% of people worldwide say they feel they have a good level of wellbeing today.
Santander’s Global Wellbeing Index reveals how we can boost wellbeing for people at different life stages and in different parts of the world.
“A good life or a flourishing life is about much more than money. It's agency and empowerment. It's social relationships and a sense of purpose and a feeling of being valued – living a life of dignity.”
Introducing the Global Wellbeing Index
SURVEYED
17,000 people worldwide
About our research
We decided to find out how individuals feel about their wellbeing.
We used the survey data to create the Global Wellbeing Index, which allows us to compare wellbeing across demographic groups and identify where organisations and governments can improve quality of life and our ability to realise our potential.
The barometer measures prosperity and wellbeing across three pillars:
INTERVIEWED
6 experts from academia, finance and education
The average global Wellbeing Score is 66 out of 100. The higher the score, the greater the sense of wellbeing it represents.
About our research
We decided to find out how individuals feel about their wellbeing.
We used the survey data to create the Global Wellbeing Index, which allows us to compare wellbeing across demographic groups and identify where organisations and governments can improve quality of life and our ability to realise our potential.
The barometer measures prosperity and wellbeing across three pillars:
Every respondent is given a score for each pillar. These scores are adjusted according to the importance of each pillar to the respondent and combined to produce an overall Wellbeing Score.
The average global Wellbeing Score is 66 out of 100. The higher the score, the greater the sense of wellbeing it represents.
Use our interactive map to compare levels of wellbeing in different countries and age groups. You can also find out how people feel about their quality of life, community and education and employment.
Use our interactive map to compare levels of wellbeing in different countries and age groups. You can also find out how people feel about their quality of life, community and education and employment.
Use our interactive map to compare levels of wellbeing in different countries and age groups. You can also find out how people feel about their quality of life, community and education and employment.
How to build a better future
A better future lies with health
of people worldwide say that health is one of the top three factors that influence their wellbeing
say that access to high-quality and affordable healthcare is the most important determinant of quality of life
Banks and financial services create opportunities
of people worldwide say that financial difficulties are one of the top three barriers to a good level of wellbeing
say that access to safe and dependable financial services is important
We need a guiding light through the cost-of-living crisis
of people worldwide agree that the rising cost of living is having an impact on their wellbeing
admit to changing their consumption patterns by opting for cheaper alternatives
A world of possibilities: Wellbeing differs from place to place
People in Asia-Pacific (APAC) value community more than people in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and the Americas
In EMEA and the Americas, being able to afford a comfortable life is more important
THE WEALTH OF WELLBEING:
How businesses can help people prosper
What do wellbeing and prosperity mean to you? And how would you rate these factors in your life today?
These are the questions that Santander’s survey of 17,000 people worldwide sought to answer.
Strikingly, the data reveals that less than a third of people feel they have a good level of wellbeing. It also found that there are critical steps that can be taken to improve wellbeing across three areas: quality of life, people and community, and education and employment.
In this interview, Hannah Freegard, managing editor at FT Longitude, talks with Juan Cerruti, chief economist at Banco Santander, about the role that businesses and policymakers can play in improving wellbeing and prosperity worldwide.
The three pillars of wellbeing
Our research assessed people’s prosperity and wellbeing across three aspects of their lives:
What are the components of a good quality of life? Do people around the world have a good quality of life?
What should communities provide to improve citizens' wellbeing? Are some parts of society held back from participating in community life?
We explore what employers can do to improve the wellbeing of their workers, and how access to education and personal development makes a difference.
The findings across these three pillars point to some clear recommendations for how business leaders and policymakers can improve citizens’ prosperity and wellbeing – today and in the future.
What are the components of a good quality of life? Do people around the world have a good quality of life?
What should communities provide to improve citizens' wellbeing? Are some parts of society held back from participating in community life?
We explore what employers can do to improve the wellbeing of their workers, and how access to education and personal development makes a difference.
The findings across these three pillars point to some clear recommendations for how business leaders and policymakers can improve citizens’ prosperity and wellbeing – today and in the future.
"We are always adjusting the balance of what we need to live a fulfilling life."
Professor Sabina Alkire
Director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative
"We are always adjusting the balance of what we need to live a fulfilling life."
Banco Santander (SAN SM, STD US, BNC LN) is a leading commercial bank, founded in 1857 and headquartered in Spain. It has a meaningful presence in 10 core markets in the Europe, North America and South America regions, and is one of the largest banks in the world by market capitalization. Santander aims to be the best open financial services platform providing services to individuals, SMEs, corporates, financial institutions and governments. The bank’s purpose is to help people and businesses prosper in a simple, personal and fair way. Santander is building a more responsible bank and has made a number of commitments to support this objective, including raising €220 billion in green financing between 2019 and 2030. In the first half of 2023, Banco Santander had €1.25 trillion in total funds, 164 million customers, 9,000 branches and 212,000 employees. www.santander.com
The information presented throughout the site is the result of a survey of 17,000 people from 15 countries, carried out by FT Longitude. This site is hosted on the Foleon platform, and Foleon's cookie policy and privacy policy apply.