SCCAN is well-acquainted with the work of Dr Katherine Trebeck a political economist, writer, advocate for economic system change and co-founder of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance. This alliance is a collaboration of change-makers working together to transform the economic system.
In March 2023, Katherine was invited to share a Big Picture introduction at SCCAN’s annual Gathering in Edinburgh. She joined the event from her home in Australia via Zoom, discussing the concept of a wellbeing economy and how communities can transform their economies. She explained the need for a new approach to economics that is kinder to both people and the planet*.
Katherine is set to appear in a new documentary, Purpose, which premiered on June 11th at the 2024 Wellbeing Economy Forum in Iceland. The film follows two years of highs and lows for Katherine and Lorenzo Fioramonti, Director of the Institute for Sustainability at the University of Surrey, as they embark on ambitious political projects to move societies away from their self-destructive course.
Purpose is directed by Martin Oetting, who quit his job in advertising — where he worked as a ‘growth advocate’ – to instead set out on a journey to understand how societal change can come about. The film captures Katherine and Lorenzo’s struggles and successes in forging a path that may change our future through his eyes.
Scotland is among a group of world governments, including Iceland, New Zealand, Wales, and Finland, that have committed to sharing expertise and policy practices to build Wellbeing Economies. Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon delivered a powerful TED talk advocating for a Wellbeing Economy.
It’s fitting therefore that Purpose is undertaking a Scottish tour this spring to screens large and small, from universities to community halls.
The film doesn’t explicitly detail what a Wellbeing Economy is, although its name comes from one of its four corners, also known as the four ‘Ps’, of the wellbeing economy:
Purpose: Re-purposing the economy to serve people and the planet.
The other Ps are:
Prevention: Addressing issues before they escalate and encouraging us to ask more.
Pre-distribution: reducing the gap between rich and poor and designing more equal market outcomes such as worker owned enterprises and community owned solutions.
People Power: Empowering communities to be at the center of economic decisions, encouraging initiatives such as locally owned businesses and community owned assets and wealth building.
The film does share tangible examples of Wellbeing Economics in action. Such as Costa Rica a country which if viewed through the lens of GDP is barely noticeable from the perspective of measuring success through monetary value. However, the Happy Planet Index which measures what matters and details how well nations are doing at achieving long, happy, and sustainable lives, lists Costa Rica and the richest planet on earth when it comes to wellbeing.
Costa Rica achieves this by choosing not to exploit its oil and generates nearly 100% of its electricity comes from renewable sources. The country boasts a higher life expectancy than ‘wealthier’ countries and has re-grown its forests to cover nearly 50% of the country’s surface.
In her SCCAN Big Picture presentation Katherine detailed ways that communities can be proactive in aligning to a Wellbeing Economy. A simple example she shared is setting up a community tool library, rather than every household buying its own set of tools which are rarely used. Katherine’s presentation encouraged plenty of grass roots conversations at the Gathering about different forms of economics and it’s these conversations that she urges at the end of the film.
One of the reasons Purpose is touring Scotland is so that post screenings Q&As can take place, led by Katherine, Martin and Dr Lukas Bunse, Policy & Engagement Lead at Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland.
Details of the tour will be announced shortly, however, attending a screening isn’t the only way to see the film and discuss alternative economics. Anyone can organise a ‘Watch Party’ for their community. Visit the ‘How to Watch’ page of the film’s website to find out more:
And you can watch a trailer for Purpose here:
Communities play a crucial role in contributing to a wellbeing economy. Katherine concluded her SCCAN presentation by discussing notions of power and how current economies operate on a Power Over basis – which means making people do your work. She urged for discussions on other notions of power:
Power To: Make change.
Power With: Collective power.
Power Within: Trust in yourself and resist others exerting power over you.
Grassroots conversations attached to the film’s tour and any “Watch Party” are timely opportunities to do just that. And in doing so tune our personal and collective perspectives towards re-purposing our economies into ones that serve people and planet and not the other way round.
For details of Scottish tour dates for Purpose when they are announced keep checking:
*You can read more about Katherine’s presentation for SCCAN via the 1000 Better Stories blog post review of the Gathering: https://sccan.scot/blog/one-of-the-most-powerful-things-we-have-is-our-voice/