Inequalities and lack of opportunities hamper economic prosperity and societal well-being. Inequalities loom large in many economies and extend far beyond material status, affecting every aspect of people’s lives, such as employment prospects, job quality, mental and physical health, education, proximity to green space, ability to breathe clean air and overall life satisfaction. Inequalities and well-being gaps are often the result of discrimination and other systems of oppression. WISE is studying and addressing the root causes of inequalities as well as analysing social mobility and equal opportunity, including the impact of discrimination on people’s lives and society. WISE is also analysing how mega trends such as climate change and digitalisation intersect with inequalities. The impacts of AI on human well-being and inequalities will also be addressed.

One of WISE’s priorities is to create conditions that allow everyone to start life on an equal footing. Inequalities in our societies are very often rooted in early-life disadvantage. Through the OECD Child Well-Being Data Portal, WISE is monitoring child well-being and investigating how children can be better supported and provided with opportunities to improve their life chances, and that of generations coming after. WISE is also engaging OECD countries on shaping a common vision for children’s well-being and the policy responses required to achieve their highest possible well-being. This involves, among other things, developing appropriate responses to the challenges posed by the digital environment for children's development, learning and well-being.

Well-being is influenced by multiple factors that constantly evolve as they interact at scales ranging from the personal to the planetary, the instant to the historical. Major phenomena like digitalisation can emerge suddenly, while others, the green transition for example, can acquire a new urgency. The OECD WISE Centre provides access to the data and analysis needed to understand and shape such changes. The Digital Well-being Hub offers a platform to explore the digital transformation across ten dimensions of well-being, and crowdsources evidence on how individuals interact with digital technology and are affected by it. Through its Inequalities-Environment Nexus: Towards a People-Centred Green Transition report, WISE identifies possible solutions to enable countries to make a fair green transition. On a broader level, our work on measuring the distance to the SDG Targets evaluates the strengths and weaknesses in national performance, helping countries navigate the SDGs’ complexity and identify priorities.

Strengthening well-being approaches in a world characterised by deep economic and societal transformations requires efforts and coordinated action from all sectors of society. This means enhancing collaboration not only across governments, but also improving public-private sector partnerships, and boosting links with researchers, civil society, and community based organisations among others. It also requires deeper involvement of the general public, and of specific target groups, in well-being initiatives, with increased focus on co-creation in evidence building, policy design and implementation. Through our OECD World Forums on Well-being , we are providing a vital space to foster the international debate through shared knowledge and experiences to help advance societal action centred on equitable and sustainable well-being.