Making lives more meaningful

A global baseline
for measuring
meaning in life

The Global Meaningfulness Index (GMI) suggests that measuring well-being in a society should not only be based on objective factors, such as economic growth and access to social services. Instead, it is essential to recognize that the inner lives, the subjective experiences, of individuals within communities are just as vital as the gross domestic product. 

Why?

To contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of human wellbeing across cultures and societies

Redefining Societal Success with the Global Meaningfulness Index

Beyond GDP: Introduction with Niklas

Niklas introduces the Global Meaningfulness Index, emphasizing Voluntās’ mission to create a global baseline for meaningfulness. Moving beyond GDP, the 2024 report aims to capture the voices of over 18,000 people, representing over half the world’s population, to define what truly matters in life.

Voluntās advocates for a humanistic capitalism that values emotional well-being alongside financial progress, urging global partners to consider how they shape society for future generations.

How?

Meaning: A more impactful metric for societial progress than money

A Dialogue on Meaning as a Measure of Societal Well-being

Rethinking Progress: Interview with Rahul

In this conversation, Rahul, an expert in public policy, discusses the limits of GDP as the primary measure of societal success. He reflects on the UN’s shift towards metrics that incorporate well-being and social equity.

Rahul provides examples of how subjective elements like hope, dignity, and emotional health offer a fuller picture of well-being and urges a global shift to measures that reflect both economic and inner lives.

What?

Giving voice to 18,853 respondents from 31 countries representing more than 57% of the world population 

Five primary insights

The voice of 18,853: Insights with Sofia

Join Sofia as she delves into the Global Meaningfulness Index, sharing the purpose behind asking 18,853 people across 31 countries what truly gives life meaning.

Through this survey, the 2024 report uncovers five major findings that challenge the idea that wealth or GDP equates to meaning. Learn how purpose, growth, belonging, and guidance shape people’s lives and why economic prosperity alone may not lead to a fulfilling life.

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People in some developing countries ​experience the most meaning

Money can’t buy meaning:
Richer nations feel less meaning in life

Our research reveals a startling trend: despite high GDP and wealth, countries like the UK and Sweden struggle with a deep sense of meaning in life. Citizens in nations facing economic challenges, such as Mexico and Nigeria, report significantly higher levels of meaning in life. 

This raises fundamental questions about how we measure well-being and the unintended consequences of material prosperity. It may be time to rethink the traditional indicators of progress and reconsider what truly drives a fulfilling life.

Our research reveals that meaningfulness tends to increase with age, education, and employment. Although these factors are generally higher in wealthier nations, their overall sense of meaning is often lower compared to less developed countries.

Insights

Countries ranked on Global Meaningfulness Index

Paradoxically, the Western world has experienced high levels of material wealth, while also seeing low levels of psychological well-being, with stress, anxiety, and depression on the rise. More recently, the importance of measuring subjective well-being has caught attention from policymakers and is now being done at different levels of government across the world.

Despite this, no current index adequately caters to the leading indicators of meaning in life. To address this issue, we need to turn our thinking on its head and consider subjective indicators that capture personal feelings of purpose, belonging, personal growth, and leadership. This approach has led to the creation of the Global Meaningfulness Index (GMI), which measures well-being based on individual perceptions.Conversely, countries including Denmark, New Zealand, and Sweden, which consistently make the top of the list of other indexes, do not even feature in the GMI top 10. This highlights the importance of addressing psychological well-being in addition to economic growth. In fact, our data shows an inverse correlation between the countries sense of meaning in life and the Human Development Index (HDI) score of that same country.

In other words, as a country’s HDI score increases, its GMI score is likely to decrease. This challenges our common assumptions about societal well-being. While posing significant questions to the common understanding of societal progress, the GMI takes us into unchartered territory. This we will need to investigate further. By embracing a more human-centered approach to measuring societal well-being, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of individual inner lives. 

Meaningfulness grows with age

Mind the (youth) gap: Elders experience more meaning than youth

Our study reveals a generational divide: Boomers report higher levels of meaning in life compared to Millennials and Gen Z. While younger generations are caught in the pursuit of personal growth and guidance, older adults find fulfillment in belonging and reflection. 

The figure below shows an upward trend with individuals’ sense of meaningfulness growing with age. The youngest age group (15–24) reports the lowest average meaningfulness score (68), while the scores gradually rise with age. The 25–64 age groups maintain relatively consistent scores of 71–72, indicating little variation in perceived meaningfulness during middle adulthood. 

The highest score, 73, is seen in the 65+ age group, suggesting that older individuals tend to find life more meaningful, possibly due to accumulated life experiences, greater reflection, or a shift in priorities as they age. 

“The Global Meaningfulness Index is the brainchild I had as early as in 2012 – which Voluntās
and Voluntās Foundation is now realizing – of developing an index that provides a more comprehensive understanding of societal health. “

Morten Albæk

Founder of Voluntas and Chairman of Voluntas Foundation

“True societal progress isn’t just measured by GDP; it’s reflected in how we create meaningful opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive.”

Dr. Rahul Shaji

Assistant Professor

Labour Market Research Facility Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Mumbai, India

RIWI & Info Sapiens

We are grateful to RIWI and InfoSapiens, our data collection partners, for their valuable support and collaboration on this research. For all countries except Ukraine, data was collected by our partner RIWI: a data company specializing in real-time sentiment research across the globe. Online data collection in Ukraine was conducted by InfoSapiens, a Ukrainian research agency specializing in conducting public opinion surveys and behavioral measurement. 

Pre-test

To ensure the accuracy of our methodology and test our preliminary hypotheses on the four drivers, we conducted a pilot questionnaire prior to full implementation. The questionnaire, which included the GMI statements, was distributed to a sample size of 357 individuals, with ~60 participants each from the US, the UK, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and India. Data collection for the pilot questionnaire was conducted from January-February 2023, and the findings were used to refine the questionnaire for full implementation.

Methodology for Global Meaningfulness Index

How did we do it?

The GMI score is an aggregate score composed of four drivers of meaning in life: purpose, leadership, belonging, and personal growth. Each driver score is determined by two statements that respondents rate on a scale from zero to ten, resulting in a total of eight statements. Additionally, each respondent was asked to rate the perceived importance of each driver in generating meaning in their life on a scale from one to five. 

The importance-scores were used to weigh the drivers when calculating each individual’s GMI score. This methodology allowed us to give more weight to the life aspects that are more important to each person, creating a more personalized picture of each respondent’s sense of meaning. By doing so, we can compare across individual and cultural differences without imposing our own conceptions of meaning.

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Stay tuned for a comprehensive analysis that promises to enlighten and inspire both individuals and organizations looking to foster a more meaningful existence.

About us

Voluntās Foundation

Established in 2023, the Voluntās Foundation aims to broaden our engagement and support initiatives that foster just, sustainable, and meaningful human advancement. The Foundation backs locally-led initiatives and spearheads innovative research on meaningfulness through its Center for Applied Meaningfulness. Key projects include the Global Meaningfulness Index and the Youth Meaningfulness Index, both designed to measure and enhance the impact of meaningful actions worldwide.

Core activities and research goals

Foundation’s mission and research initiatives

Established in 2023, the Voluntās Foundation enhances our commitment to fostering just, sustainable, and meaningful human development. By supporting initiatives and conducting cutting-edge research through the Center for Applied Meaningfulness, the foundation actively shapes influential projects like the Global Meaningfulness Index and the Youth Meaningfulness Index. These indices measure the impact of meaningful actions, aiming to inform and improve human advancement globally.

Philanthropic contributions to society

Philosophical guidance and philanthropic impact

The foundation not only aims to guide Voluntās Advisory as a long-term moral compass but also boosts human potential through philanthropic support to organizations, forward-thinking companies, and individuals. It emphasizes the integration of academic research, educational initiatives, and community projects to explore and operationalize meaningfulness in both public policies and organizational practices, bridging corporate and non-profit sectors for greater societal impact.

Social relationships and partnerships

Cultural connections and global partnerships

The Voluntās Foundation extends its commitment through diverse initiatives that build social relationships and foster partnerships across cultures. By collaborating with local artists, museums, and community organizations, and by supporting intersectional inclusion, the foundation nurtures a multicultural environment. These initiatives not only enhance understanding and cooperation among different cultures but also strengthen global networks, ensuring that the principles of meaningfulness resonate widely and lead to substantial social change. These efforts exemplify the foundation’s mission to create a more interconnected and meaningful world.

Pioneering sustainable progres

As the long-term owner and moral compass of Voluntās Advisory, the foundation fosters the evolution of humanistic capitalism, incorporating diverse outside perspectives to ensure that Voluntās remains true to its purpose and philosophy for generations. Through philanthropic efforts, we support organizations, forward-thinking companies, and individuals in realizing their potential, focusing on transformative initiatives that align with our values.

Making lives more meaningful

As the long-term owner and moral compass of Voluntās Advisory, the foundation fosters the evolution of humanistic capitalism, incorporating diverse outside perspectives to ensure that Voluntās remains true to its purpose and philosophy for generations. Through philanthropic efforts, we support organizations, forward-thinking companies, and individuals in realizing their potential, focusing on transformative initiatives that align with our virtues and makes lives more meaningful.

Fanny Marchand
Associate Partner & Director,
Voluntās Foundation

Niklas Kabel Pedersen
Senior Partner & COO,
Voluntās

Contact us

Get in touch with us!

For inquiries, partnerships, or feedback, reach out to Niklas or Fanny. 

Niklas Kabel Pedersen: nkp@voluntas.com

Fanny Marchand: fma@voluntas.com