In 2015, the Welsh Government created the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act, enshrining in law the country’s emphasis on sustainability and well-being. A key provision of the Act was the establishment of a new role – the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales – tasked with advocating for the needs of future generations.
The Future Generations Act and Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Abstract
Context
The Welsh Government has a long history of promoting sustainable development and a longstanding commitment to making sustainable development the central organising principle of government. Wales’ 2015 Well-being of Future Generations Act is legislation requiring public bodies in Wales to think about the long-term impact of their decisions; to work more closely with the public, communities and each other; and to address persistent and emerging challenges such as poverty, health inequalities and climate change. The Act also created the role of the Welsh Future Generations Commissioner, appointed by Welsh ministers, who is tasked with advocating for the needs of future generations in Welsh policy and ensuring that government takes a long-term view of policy impact.
Description and key outcomes
The Well-being of Future Generations Act sets out seven national well-being goals (encompassing prosperity, resilience, health, equality, cohesion, culture/language and global responsibility) and five ‘ways of working’ to ensure that the needs of future generations are taken into account in decision making alongside current well-being, comprising:
Collaboration: Acting in collaboration with any other person (or different parts of the body itself) that could help the body to meet its well-being objectives.
Integration: Considering how the public body’s well-being objectives may impact upon each of the well-being goals, on their other objectives, or on the objectives of other public bodies.
Involvement: The importance of involving people with an interest in achieving the well-being goals and ensuring that those people reflect the diversity of the area which the body serves.
Long-term: The importance of balancing short-term needs with the need to safeguard long-term needs.
Prevention: How acting to prevent problems from occurring or getting worse may help public bodies meet their objectives.
It also includes a ‘well-being duty’, enshrining in law the requirement for all public bodies to work to improve sustainable development, by setting and publishing objectives (“well-being objectives”) that are designed to maximise their contribution to achieving each of the well-being goals, and taking all reasonable steps (in exercising its functions) to meet those objectives.
Finally, the Welsh Future Generations Commissioner has a wide-ranging mandate to advise, review and assess the work of public bodies from a well-being and sustainable development perspective. When the Commissioner makes recommendations to a public body, it must publish its response, and if the public body does not follow a recommendation it must say why, and what alternative action it will take. In addition, under the Act, each local authority established a Public Services Board (PSB) to improve joint work across all public services and other organisations that can contribute to their aim of jointly improving well-being. The PSBs must carry out a well-being assessment, outlining the state of different aspects of well-being and expected future trends in the local area, which is then used to support a local well-being plan (formulated every five years) that sets out how PSBs will meet their responsibilities under the Act.
Given the wide-ranging implications of the Act and the broad mandate of the Commissioner, this new role has contributed to a deeper consideration of well-being and sustainability issues across the public sector (including informing budget and procurement processes) and civil society. A large number of case studies and examples can be found on the Future Generations Commissioner website.
Wales is also a member of the Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo) group, a cross-governmental cooperation initiative. In addition to Wales, membership of the group currently includes the governments of Iceland, New Zealand and Finland, with Canada actively participating.
Policy relevance
Together, the legislation and the role of the Commissioner bring a greater degree of accountability to efforts to centre the needs of future generations in policy practice and societal action. The legislation is designed to make sustainable development the central organising principle of government and public bodies. To this end, the Welsh Government is committed to continually improve how the operation, governance and mechanics of government respond to these requirements, and has launched a Continual Improvement Plan for 2023-2025 to deepen the understanding and application of the sustainable development principle at the heart of how the Welsh Government works.
The Commissioner and team provide concrete support to public sector agencies and other organisations by providing learning and development opportunities; publishing recommendations and reports; commenting on policy and current affairs; producing toolkits and resources; providing advice directly to organisations; and responding to enquiries from members of the public.
Further information
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales website, https://www.futuregenerations.wales/ (accessed 27 October 2023)
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Public Services Boards website, https://www.futuregenerations.wales/work/public-service-boards/ (accessed 27 October 2023)
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Impact of the Act website, https://www.futuregenerations.wales/impact/impact-of-the-act/ (accessed 27 October 2023)
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (2023), Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 website, https://www.futuregenerations.wales/about-us/future-generations-act/ (accessed October 27 2023)
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (2022), Wales – where well-being isn’t just a buzz word, it’s the law – reflects on seven years of its world-leading Future Generations Act, https://www.futuregenerations.wales/news/wales-where-well-being-isnt-just-a-buzz-word-its-the-law-reflects-on-seven-years-of-its-world-leading-future-generations-act/
Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (2018), Transport Fit for Future Generations, https://www.futuregenerations.wales/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/20180912-Transport-Fit-for-Future-Generations-C-1.pdf
Scottish Government, Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo) website, https://www.gov.scot/groups/wellbeing-economy-governments-wego/ (accessed October 30 2023)
Welsh Government (2023), Welsh Government’s Well-being of Future Generations continuous learning and improvement plan for 2023 to 2025, https://www.gov.wales/continuous-learning-and-improvement-plan-for-2023-to-2025-html
Welsh Government (2021), Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015: Essentials Guide, https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2021-10/well-being-future-generations-wales-act-2015-the-essentials-2021.pdf
WHO (2023), “The well-being economy in Finland, Iceland, Scotland and Wales’’, in Deep dives on the well-being economy showcasing the experiences of Finland, Iceland, Scotland and Wales: summary of key findings, Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe, https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2023-7033-46799-68216
WHO (2021), “Sustainable development in Wales”, in Sustainable development in Wales and other regions in Europe: achieving health and equity for present and future generations,
https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/9789289052801
ZOE Institute for future-fit economies (2022), “Wales – Well-being of Future Generations Act”, in International Examples of a Wellbeing Approach in Practice, https://zoe-institut.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/NL_Wellbeing_-Policies_Final_ZOE_dissemination.pdf
OECD resources
OECD (2023), “Realigning, redesigning, refocusing and reconnecting for better outcomes: Practical lessons”, in How to Make Societies Thrive? Coordinating Approaches to Promote Well-being and Mental Health, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/fc6b9844-en.
OECD (2023), Economic Policy Making to Pursue Economic Welfare: OECD Report for the G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, May 2023, Japan, OECD, Paris. https://www.oecd.org/economy/G7_Beyond_GDP_Economic_policy_making_to_pursue_economic_welfare_2023.pdf
