OECD measurement guidelines support the organisation’s work in advancing the measurement of concepts that are crucial to the well-being of people, the planet and future generations. Beginning with the publication of the first edition of the OECD Guidelines on Measuring Subjective Well-being in 2013, the organisation has provided data producers with survey modules and best practices when capturing data on topics as diverse as micro-statistics on household wealth; the distribution of household income, consumption and wealth; trust; the quality of the working environment; and population mental health. This work contributes to the OECD’s on-going efforts to measure and monitor progress in multidimensional well-being across OECD member states. Measurement guidelines enhance the harmonisation of well-being metrics and enable cross-country comparisons. The OECD How’s Life? Well-being Database (available online here: http://data-explorer.oecd.org/s/fu and updated on a quarterly basis) includes 80+ indicators that provide information on current well-being outcomes, well-being inequalities, and the resources and risks that underpin future well-being.
This report was prepared by the OECD Centre on Well-being, Inclusion, Sustainability and Equal Opportunity (WISE). Jessica Mahoney was the lead author, with editorial oversight from Lara Fleischer and Carrie Exton. The work was carried out under the direction of Romina Boarini. Martine Zaïda, Taylor Kelly and Anne-Lise Faron provided support throughout on communication co‑ordination and formatting. Patrick Hamm copy-edited the volume.
An informal advisory group, chaired by Carrie Exton (OECD, WISE), provided extensive feedback and valuable comments throughout the process of drafting this report. We are grateful to the members of the informal advisory group: Matías Cociña (Ministry of Social Development and Family, Government of Chile), Jason Fields (United States Census Bureau), Rosemary Goodyear (Statistics New Zealand), Carol Graham (Brookings Institution), John Helliwell (University of British Columbia), Emily Hewlett (OECD, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs), Nancy Hey (Lloyd’s Register Foundation), Erhabor Idemudia (North-West University), Yosuke Kono (Cabinet Office, Government of Japan), Noémie Le Donné (OECD, Education Directorate), Timothy Lomas (Harvard University), Shigehiro Oishi (University of Chicago), Anna Pärnänen (Statistics Finland), Gwyther Rees (UNICEF Innocenti Center), Mariano Rojas (Tecnológico Nacional de México), Carol Ryff (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Francesco Sarracino (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies of Luxembourg (STATEC)), Claudia Senik (CEPREMAP, l'Observatoire du Bien-être), Conal Smith (Kōtātā Insights), Arthur Stone (University of Southern California), Laura Taylor (University of Oxford), Olivier Thévenon (OECD, WISE) Atawhai Tibble (Indigenous Economist), Alessandra Tinto (Italian National Institute of Statistics), Sabrina Twilhaar (University of Warwick) and Anna Visser (Department of the Taoiseach, Government of Ireland). Advisory group members provided helpful feedback and guidance throughout the process; however, the final recommendations are those put forth by the Secretariat, with oversight from delegates of the OECD Committee on Statistics and Statistical Policy (CSSP) and may not reflect the personal views of each advisory group member.
This work also benefitted from the expertise of external consultants who were contracted to produce working papers on measuring specific aspects of subjective well-being: Laura Kudrna (University of Birmingham), Tharuka Nanomi Arachchige (University of Birmingham), Lailah Alidu (University of Birmingham) and Paul Dolan (London School of Economics) (affect); Saamah Abdallah (Hot or Cool Institute) (eudaimonia); and Conal Smith (Kōtātā Insight), Margreet Freiling (Kōtātā Insight) and Hinako Percival (Kōtātā Insight and Massey University) (globally inclusive approaches to measurement). We additionally thank the engagement and helpful comments of Jason Adams, Richard Archambault and Patrick Bussiere (Employment and Social Development Canada); Alden Lai (New York University School of Global Public Health); Lucía Macchia (University of London); Frank Martela (Aalto University); Kelsey O’Connor (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies of Luxembourg (STATEC)); Eoin O’Mahony and Fiona Bourke (Economic Division, Department of the Taoiseach); Andrew Oswald (University of Warwick); and Joar Vittersø (University of Tromsø).
These Guidelines were produced as part of the work programme of the OECD Committee on Statistics and Statistical Policy (CSSP), whose delegates have reviewed the report and provided comments. Their contributions and advice are gratefully acknowledged.
Support for this report was provided in part by the Well-being for Planet Earth Foundation.