The goal of the Oxfam Humankind Index for Scotland is to assess Scotland’s prosperity through a holistic and more representative measure of progress, beyond the dominant economic model which relies on Gross Domestic Product as the main indicator. The Oxfam Humankind Index measures the real wealth of Scotland – what really matters to the people of Scotland.
Oxfam engaged in a consultation process with people across Scotland in order to establish what aspects of life make a difference to them. Almost 3,000 people were involved in one way or another (focus groups, community workshops, street stalls, an online survey, and a YouGov poll). Oxfam made a particular effort to reach out to seldom heard communities, those groups whose interests are so often marginalised in the formal policy making process and whose voices are absent from decisions that affect them.
The consultation process produced a weighted set of elements (‘sub-domains’) that people reported as affecting the ability to live well in their communities.