Economic Seminar - When economic growth improves well-being

STATEC Research is pleased to invite to the  economic seminar

When economic growth improves well-being

The seminar was presented by Francesco Sarracino on Monday, 29 June 2026 at 10:00 am 

Is it possible to establish a virtuous cycle that, by prioritizing subjective well-being in decision making, would lead to socially and environmentally sustainable economies where individuals can thrive? The presentation will provide updated evidence from the Horizon Europe WISER project. Francesco Sarracino first argues that economic growth does not guarantee better lives for individuals. Policy efforts could instead concentrate on promoting well-being directly and establishing conditions that allow economic growth to enhance well-being. The author then introduces neo-humanism, a framework to prioritize well-being in decision making, and review the key evidence linking social relations, sustainability, and economic performance. In addition, he provides new evidence on defensive consumption, introduce a new measure of performance - well-being productivity, and provide some examples of policies targeting subjective well-being directly. The main implication is that public policy should prioritize well-being in decision making, rather than focusing on growth in the hope that its benefits will eventually trickle down onto people.