By Alex Ruddy
My good friend Kate Wright penned an article recently wondering why the Island has been consumed by negative, divisive opinion pieces of late, instead of focusing on those matters of paramount importance to Islanders, such as the cost-of-living crisis, child poverty, domestic abuse or mental-health services being under severe strain. I completely concur with her opinion piece. These are not issues exclusive to Jersey. These are global issues. But, and there is a big “but”, we are a small Island; we can be nimble and agile, take some risk and really look to improve the lives of Islanders and ensure that our economy thrives. So why aren’t we?
Michelle Ryan, chair of the Jersey Association of Sustainability Practitioners, asked me to speak as part of a panel comprising Michelle, Chris Edmonds and Emelita Robbins on the topic of wellbeing economies. I have a confession to make to Michelle, and what better way to do it than via the JEP.
“I’m sorry Michelle, but I agreed to speak absent knowledge of topic.”
When I started researching the topic of wellbeing economies, and analysing our Island economy in this context, I was quite frankly convinced, hooked and clear that we need a repurpose.
Coincidentally, the event was entitled: Purpose – a Wellbeing Economies Film, and showcased a film on this topic. A similar event was also held in Guernsey on the following evening.
The film, Purpose, delves into the concept of wellbeing economies, which prioritise people and the planet over traditional economic growth metrics like GDP. It follows the journey of two key figures, Katherine Trebeck and Lorenzo Fioramonti, as they work to establish and promote wellbeing economies.
The film highlights efforts to redesign economic systems to focus on sustainability in its widest sense. This includes initiatives like the Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo) partnership, which involves countries such as Scotland, New Zealand, Iceland, Wales and Finland. It discusses the negative impacts of current economic models on the environment and society, and how wellbeing economies aim to address these issues by integrating sustainability and social equity into economic policies.
Let me be clear, however, this is not at the exclusion of profit; it is simply seeking to balance economic growth with social and environmental wellbeing. The idea is to create an economic system that not only generates profit, but also enhances the quality of life for individuals and communities. Wellbeing is intrinsically linked to productivity.
In 2017, following engagement with Islanders, the government produced a report, Future Jersey, which was developed as part of a long-term vision for Jersey (2017 to 2037). The report was the culmination of extensive public consultation, including the My Jersey survey, which gathered opinions from thousands of Islanders. It was led by the Chief Minister’s department (the Chief Minister at that time was Ian Gorst) as part of the Shaping Our Future initiative, aiming to create a shared, long-term community vision for Jersey.
The primary goal was to establish a 20-year vision for Jersey, focusing on social, environmental and economic ambitions. It aimed to ensure that the vision reflected the aspirations and concerns of the community, making it a genuinely shared vision. The report was intended to guide future policies and decisions, ensuring they align with the long-term goals of improving Islanders’ quality of life. It also aimed to address key challenges such as an ageing population, climate change and economic sustainability.
Following this, the Public Finances (Jersey) Law 2019 was enacted requiring (Article 9) that the Council of Ministers must “in preparing the government plan, take into account the sustainable wellbeing (including the economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing) of the inhabitants of Jersey over successive generations”, which was a significant step towards integrating sustainability and wellbeing into Jersey’s financial planning and government policies.
The Future Economy Programme of 2023 produced by Deputy Morel notes: “we need sustainable economic growth to support family life and allow everyone to have a better standard of living”. The FEP looks at the period 2023 to 2040. Many of the themes are aligned to those identified in the Future Jersey report and indeed the FEP notes that our success measurement will be aligned with the Jersey Performance Framework utilising data and metrics that were already identified through the Future Jersey report.
In theory, therefore, Jersey is already embracing the concept of a wellbeing economy. Government has committed to prioritising people and planet, ensuring the sustainability and wellbeing of our Island and its people. So why are many of us not feeling like very well beings? Why is there so much negativity and vitriol spread via social media or opinion pieces causing upset and dividing our society?
The short answer is that Islanders are worried: about our children being exposed to online harm, for some about where the next meal is coming from, about how geopolitical events will impact our day-to-day lives, about whether their business will survive. Sometimes the concern emanates from the divisive comments online, pitting Islanders against each other.
People are worried about matters that impact them. So when policies are announced, or monies allocated by the government to projects that are not seemingly addressing people’s urgent concerns, there is naturally pushback. This further disenfranchises the public from the Council of Ministers and government. Islanders do not feel heard; words seemingly falling on deaf ears. This is not conducive to improving voter turnout, and in turn creates a vicious circle of distrust. We need to break this cycle.
Helen Keller was a disability rights advocate and political activist. One of her most famous quotes (which is a firm favourite of mine) is “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”. It is my belief that now is the time to act, together, in collaboration. Some of our framework is outdated and not fit for the world in which we live. Some policies, regulation and laws were implemented years ago to suit a particular purpose and now need to be re-examined. We need to think about regulation more broadly, reverting back to a true analysis of “harms” and regulating to prevent harms not growth.
We should also cut the operators of the machinery some slack! While accountability and responsibility should rightly be a focus, let’s not personalise it; let’s not focus on what has gone wrong (other than an exercise in learning) and instead focus on how we can move forward. This has been the intention of IoD and Chamber, working together for a common goal. It is not incumbent on the CoM or government to fix everything – it is for us all, as Islanders, to work towards this.
Deputy Morel has challenged the private sector to take Jersey back, so let’s do it. This is one of the reasons we have organised the IoD debate taking place on 24 April. The debate panel includes business leaders. Although the CoM and government officials have been invited, this is a real focus on business leadership and the impact we can have on the direction of the economy.
If I could have one ask of all Islanders, no matter what your capacity or platform, it would be to re-examine your communication. There is an acronym taught to children by which, in my opinion, we should all abide:
T: Is it true?
H: Is it helpful?
I: Is it inspiring?
N: Is it necessary?
K: Is it kind?
Wouldn’t it be great, if moving towards the next election, we all communicate more effectively. Could CoM and government tie all policies and budgets back to Future Jersey, and the FEP so each and every Islander knows that the collective approach to the vision articulated in these reports, is being addressed through action? Could we, as Islanders, and business leaders, be more helpful in our communications with each other and officials presenting solutions rather than simply lobbying?
Am I an idealist? Perhaps so. But isn’t it worth a go? We have an opportunity in a world where trade wars, a war on DEI and unkind rhetoric is pervasive, to set ourselves apart as a jurisdiction of choice for doing business, for visiting and for living.
Alex Ruddy is chair of the Institute of Directors, Jersey Branch, founding director of Oben Regulatory, and co-founder of the Mind the Gap Community. She is a passionate advocate for fair business practices.
