For the second year in a row, global social progress has stagnated. According to the 2025 edition of the Social Progress Index, two out of three people now live in countries where quality of life and social well-being either stagnated or deteriorated in 2024. The global score crept up only slightly from 64.00 in 2023 to 64.02 in 2024—marking one of the slowest growth rates since the Index was first published in 2011.
Compiled by the Social Progress Imperative, with support from Deloitte, the report evaluates 170 countries based on three key dimensions: Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Wellbeing, and Opportunity. These include indicators such as nutrition, education, health, safety, rights, and inclusion.
After a decade of steady improvement, the report identifies the COVID-19 pandemic as a major inflection point, with its impact still reverberating across economies and institutions. Many governments have struggled to rebuild social infrastructure, further delaying progress.
Leaders, Laggards, and Surprises
Norway tops the global rankings with a score of 91.95, up from 90.74 in 2023, followed by Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland—each exceeding 90 points but showing signs of stagnation. Europe dominates the top tier, with 15 of the top 20 countries hailing from the continent. The group includes Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and the UK.
From outside Europe, only Australia (12th), Japan (14th), Singapore (15th), Canada (18th), and New Zealand (19th) made it into the top 20.
The United States ranks 31st, with a declining score of 81.65, making it a notable exception among major economies. It is the only G7 country where social progress has declined since 2011.
Performance among other G7 countries was mixed. Germany leads the group at 10th place with upward movement, while Japan, the UK, and Canada stagnated in the top tier. France and Italy also stagnated but remained in the second category.
Among large emerging economies, Brazil stood out as a rare bright spot. Ranked 55th, it showed the most improvement globally from 2023 to 2024. In contrast, China (72) declined slightly, while Russia (77) and India (111) saw no significant change.
Romania: Progress in Opportunity, Gaps in Core Needs
Romania presents a mixed performance in the 2024 Social Progress Index. The country slightly improves its global ranking in the Opportunity dimension, rising to 45th place, up from 46th in 2023. However, it records setbacks in two key pillars: falling to 49th in Basic Human Needs (from 46th) and 61st in Wellbeing (from 49th).
A breakdown of the indicators shows that Romania performs best in personal freedom (37th globally), nutrition and medical care (41st), access to information and communications (42nd), and housing (43rd). On the other hand, it lags significantly in health (83rd), basic education (80th), and water and sanitation (72nd)—sectors that highlight Romania’s structural vulnerabilities.
These weaker scores also reveal the country’s development gap when compared to regional peers such as Hungary, Croatia, Greece, and the Baltic states, suggesting that strategic investment in core social infrastructure remains essential for long-term progress.
Why Social Progress Matters to Business
The report highlights a growing consensus that social progress underpins long-term economic performance. Nations that ensure access to healthcare, education, legal protections, and infrastructure lay the foundation for sustainable growth.
The Social Progress Imperative emphasizes that businesses cannot thrive in weak societies. While economic growth enables resources, it’s social progress that unlocks their true potential. The report urges business leaders to collaborate with governments and civil society to co-create environments where both economies and people flourish.
