To guide the public sector in developing policies to secure a good quality of life for both current and future generations, Wales adopted the Well-being of Future Generations Act in 2015. The Act emphasises the importance of acting today for a better tomorrow and requires public bodies in Wales to think about the long-term impact of their decisions. It also sets out seven national well-being goals for Wales: prosperous, resilient, healthier, more equal, cohesive communities, globally responsible, vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language. Statutory provisions were set out in the Act for the creation of a Future Generations Commissioner role, who is tasked with providing advice to public bodies in the implementation of the Act.
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales – United Kingdom (Wales)
Abstract
The Commissioner serves as the guardian of future generations, offering advice to public bodies, Public Service Boards and policy makers to ensure the well-being of current and future generations across social, economic, environmental, and cultural aspects. The Commissioner promotes good practices among public entities for achieving well-being goals aligned with sustainable development principles1 and fosters collaboration among stakeholders. The Commissioner conducts reviews to assess how public bodies implement the Act, publishes a Future Generations Report every five years and provides recommendations to public bodies to better implement the Act. There are 15 Public Service Boards responsible for assessing the well-being of the population in their respective areas as well as setting objectives and preparing a local well-being plan with the Commissioner. 48 public bodies in Wales covered by the Act are required to use the sustainable development principle and consider long-term impact, preventative measures, integrated thinking, involvement of and collaboration with stakeholders in their actions. The Commissioner is conducting research to establish the extent to which the Act is informing procurement processes and decisions. Furthermore, the Future Generations Leadership Academy supports young people with opportunities to learn and enhance their leadership skills. The Commissioner also developed the Ways of Working Progress Checker, a tool that helps organisations progress on their journey towards sustainability.
The Well-being of Future Generations Act and the Future Generations Commissioner continue to play a significant role in reshaping the way Wales measures success and evaluates progress through the lens of well-being. A “Prosperous Wales” is now defined by its commitment to provide decent work and foster a low carbon society. The Act and the Commissioner have promoted the integration of intergenerational justice considerations across policy areas. For instance, public procurement contracts are measured through tools that provide opportunities to deliver on the requirements of the Act. The Welsh Government also scrapped its plan to build a motorway extension around Newport based on considerations on future generations. Wales has adopted a new purpose-driven curriculum that puts emphasis on developing ethically informed citizens, including climate and eco-literacy to equip young learners with necessary skills for a net-zero world. Wales is also introducing a ten-year health strategy, with the Act at its heart. In 2023, Wales launched the Future Generations Policy Toolkit, in partnership with Foundations for Tomorrow, to help advise policy makers on steps to be taken for future generations governance. The Commissioner also developed the Maturity Matrix as a tool to help track outcomes and measure impact.
Further reading
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (2015), Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015; Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (2020) The Future Generations Report 2020; Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (2020), The Future Generations Report 2020: At A Glance; Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (2023) Future Generations Changemakers 100; Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (2023), Future Generations Policy Leader Toolkit - placing future generations at the heart of global policy and practice; Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (2024), Impact of the Act; Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (2024), Well-being and Future Generations approaches across the world.
This practice also supports the implementation of provisions II.1, III.1, III.2, IV.5 and VI.1 of the OECD Recommendation on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People.
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← 1. The Future Generations Act defines Sustainable Development as: “The process of improving the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales by taking action, in accordance with the sustainable development principle, aimed at achieving the well-being goals.” According to the Act, public bodies doing something “in accordance with the sustainable development principle” requires the body to act in a manner which seeks to ensure that the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.