Developing a Well-being Economy Dashboard for Belgium: From Concept to Policy Tool
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Issue/problem Traditional economic models focused on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) overlook key social and environmental factors essential to health and well-being. The well-being economy (WBE) framework has gained international attention by prioritizing human and ecological well-being over economic growth. However, WBE is not yet structurely embedded in Belgian policymaking, which still relies predominately on conventional economic indicators. This project, part of the Joint Action Prevent Non-Communicable Diseases (JA PreventNCD), aims to position Belgium as a transferable model for integrating WBE into policy across national contexts. Description of the problem Belgium lacks a structured approach to integrate WBE into policymaking. This project develops an interactive dashboard to visualize the evolution of key WBE indicators, disaggregated by age, sex, region. It supports a shift from GDP to a broader understanding of what contributes to good life and thriving society. Results Using international examples and work from JA PreventNCD, we identified key WBE dimensions and indicators. Stakeholders assessed both relevance and data availability. The dashboard will be comprehensive yet concise, with a limited set of clear indicators: 1. Human capital - Premature mortality, Health-Related Quality of Life, Subjective well-being; 2. Economic capital - Gender pay gap, Risk of poverty or social exclusion, Child poverty; 3. Natural capital - Air pollution, Water pollution, Green space/biodiversity; 4. Social capital - Satisfaction with social contacts, Low educational attainment, Youth activity level. Lessons Translating complex concepts into policy tools is both feasible and valuable. Co-creation ensured relevance and stakeholder support. The project shows the importance of intersectoral collaboration and offers a model for embedding WBE in policy. Key messages • A well-being economy dashboard helps policymakers move beyond GDP to address societal and health inequalities. • Integrating well-being indicators into policymaking fosters more equitable, sustainable, and health-oriented decisions aligned with long-term societal goals.
Authors: H Bruggeman, P Smith, J Van der Heyden
Institution: Sciensano (Belgium)
Language: English
Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,181
OpenAlex ID: W7101394154
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