Thursday 24 October 2024

Is sustainable wellbeing a ‘nice to have’ or a ‘must have’?


This was the theme that drove the discussion at the recent Jersey Audit Office (JAO) event on Embedding Long-Term Sustainability into Decision Making.

There was a shared agreement that we all want to ensure future generations of Islanders have a healthy environment in which to live, a thriving community, and an economy that supports these goals. However, the challenge often lies not in defining what success looks like, but in determining (a) how to achieve it and (b) whether we are on the right path.

At the event Lynn Pamment CBE, Comptroller and Auditor General, spoke about her report on the Jersey Performance Framework and set out her findings on Government’s arrangements for reporting on sustainable wellbeing.  She presented her recommendations to strengthen and improve accountabilities, processes and culture.

We then heard from Chief Statistician, Ian Cope, who spoke about improvements to the Island Outcome Indicators, which serve as Government’s framework for reporting progress on sustainable wellbeing.

Next was Derek Walker, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. Derek shared insights into his role, where he advises and challenges the Welsh Assembly to improve decision-making today for the benefit of future generations in Wales.

Our final speaker was Ian Roberts from locally based Acacia Limited, who gave a presentation on practical tools, goal setting, and effective benchmarking initiatives.

The presentations were followed by a panel discussion featuring all the speakers, expertly facilitated by Helen Thomson, Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General.

So, was the day a success? The answer is undoubtedly yes, and on two levels. First, 80% of the audience rated the event as either good or excellent, which is fantastic feedback.

More importantly, the room was filled with people from across Jersey – including politicians, government officials, charities, and business leaders – engaging in open, challenging, and transparent discussions about sustainable wellbeing.

Through meaningful conversations like these at the event, more informed decisions can be made. Only by tracking and reporting progress can the people of Jersey truly assess whether the Island is heading in the right direction.

So yes, embedding sustainable wellbeing into long-term decision making is not just an option – it’s a ‘must-have’ for the Island’s resilient and prosperous future.


eurora

Associate Member of EURORAI - a cooperation project between public sector supervisory bodies in Europe