Beyond GDP

The UN-led Beyond GDP initiative promotes broader economic, social, and environmental indicators to complement GDP and better measure sustainable and inclusive development.

For decades, gross domestic product (GDP) has been the dominant indicator used to assess economic performance and national progress. While GDP remains an important measure of economic activity, it provides only a partial picture of development. 

The Beyond GDP initiative responds to this need by promoting the use of complementary indicators that reflect economic, social, and environmental dimensions of development. Led by the United Nations and supported by Member States, the initiative seeks to improve how progress is measured to better inform policymaking, align national strategies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and support more inclusive and sustainable outcomes.

At the centre of the initiative is the High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP, established by the UN Secretary-General and responding to a mandate laid out in the Pact for the Future. The Group is tasked with developing a conceptual framework and a set of indicators that can be used alongside GDP to track progress in areas such as well-being, equality, sustainability and resilience. 

Why Beyond GDP Matters for UNCTAD 

While economic growth remains essential, UNCTAD’s analysis consistently shows that growth alone does not guarantee poverty reduction, structural transformation, or shared prosperity. In many countries, rising GDP has coexisted with widening inequalities, persistent informality, and environmental degradation.

Fishing village, Myanmar.

Beyond GDP: What else matters and how to measure it?

Independent experts shine a new light on ways to complement traditional economic measures with metrics that reflect human well-being, inclusiveness and sustainability.

UNCTAD’s Role and Contributions

UNCTAD plays an active role in advancing the Beyond GDP agenda at the global level. It serves as part of the co-secretariat of the High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP, contributing to analytical, statistical, and policy expertise.

Notably, UNCTAD’s Inclusive Growth Index combines economic performance with indicators on income distribution, living conditions, and environmental sustainability. The index highlights significant disparities across and within countries, demonstrating that higher GDP growth does not necessarily translate into inclusive development outcomes.