Who is behind the Happy Planet Index?
The Happy Planet Index is powered by a group of collaborators who believe that the twenty-first century should be defined by the pursuit of good lives that do not cost the Earth.
Hot or Cool
The Hot or Cool Institute is a public interest think tank that explores the intersection between society and sustainability. Our mission is to equip organisations, policymakers, and communities with the science to inform their decisions towards a sustainable and prosperous future, putting people and science at the centre of the sustainability transition.
As of March 2023, Hot or Cool is responsible for updating and developing the Happy Planet Index.
Connect with Hot or Cool on LinkedIn or Twitter
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The Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll)
The Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll) is the leading global coalition of organisations, alliances, movements, and individuals working together to transform key economies and ensure that decision-makers prioritise the long-term wellbeing of people and planet.
The current website was first developed in 2021, when the HPI was managed by WEAll. We acknowledge WEAll’s contribution to the continuation of the Happy Planet Index.
Connect with WEAll on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.
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The New Economics Foundation (NEF)
The New Economics Foundation (NEF) aims to create a new economy that works for people and within environmental limits. NEF launched the Happy Planet Index in 2006 and housed it until 2019.
Nic Marks
Nic founded the Centre for Wellbeing at the London-based think tank the New Economics Foundation and created the original Happy Planet Index (HPI) in 2006. He did a popular TED talk on the HPI in 2010. He is now the CEO and founder of Friday Pulse, a platform that measures and improves happiness at work. He is also an honorary fellow of the Hot or Cool Institute.
Connect with Nic on LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Dr. Saamah Abdallah
Saamah is Programme Lead for Sustainable Wellbeing at the Hot or Cool Institute, and leads the work on the HPI. He was part of the team that originally developed the HPI in 2006 and has 18 years’ experience working on alternative indicators of progress. In 2016, Saamah won an award from the Community Indicators Consortium as Emerging Leader in the field of Community Indicators. He holds a PhD in Communications Science and lives in a small post-industrial town in the midst of the forests of Eastern Germany.
Saamah’s research can be found on ResearchGate.
Alex Hoffman
Alex is a Fulbright Scholar passionate about using policy to promote democracy and economic equality. He studied public policy at Duke University in the United States, where he conducted research on cash bail reform, acquiring startup capital for worker cooperatives, and hydroelectric-driven development in Paraguay. His honors thesis examining the institutional designs of federal job guarantee programs was awarded Highest Distinction. After his Fulbright year with Hot or Cool he will begin an MPhil in Comparative Social Policy at Oxford University.
Dana Vigran
Dana has a background in gender justice, youth rights and sustainable urban development, and nearly a decade of experience working with organisations around the world to craft and share stories that further their work. At Hot or Cool, Dana drives the engagement and communications strategy for advancing knowledge and action on sustainability and society.
Dana is currently based in Cologne, Germany.
Nat Karipidis
Nat studied welfare systems, climate policy and Aboriginal studies during her Master of Public Policy. Her career has reflected a keen interest in people and systemic change.
She currently works as Communications Assistant at Hot or Cool in Berlin – though longs for the warm weather and native wildlife of her home country, Australia.
James & Fivos
Fivos is a product designer and front-end developer and James is a full-stack developer. We have experience creating websites in a wide range of industries and we currently specialise in creating digital experiences for charities and NGOs. We have worked together for many years and are co-founders of Mango digital collective. We are passionate about creating accessible and sustainable digital experiences that help small charities and big NGOs bring about positive social change.
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