Should Happiness be part of the investing process?
With today being the International Day of Happiness as declared by the United Nations, it is the perfect day to ask big questions and reflect. There is a lot of talk about the Sustainable Development Goals being part of the investing process, the goals seem to focus on the what and how. Happiness and well-being focuses on the Why. Should the investing process lead with the why?
What matters most to you? – Start your investing process there
Right now take a moment and think about what matters most to you – your why:
Now consider if your money and investments support that. How are your investments and the underlying businesses impacting people and planet?
Could happiness and well-being be a responsibility for each investor and investment professional?
What is the International Day of Happiness all about?
It’s a day to be happy, of course! Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated the International Day of Happiness as a way to recognize the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. In 2015, the UN launched the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that seek to end poverty, reduce inequality, and protect our planet – three key aspects that lead to well-being and happiness.
The General Assembly of the United Nations in its resolution 66/281PDF document of 12 July 2012 proclaimed 20 March the International Day of Happiness recognizing the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world and the importance of their recognition in public policy objectives.
The resolution was initiated by Bhutan, a country which recognized the value of national happiness over national income since the early 1970s and famously adopted the goal of Gross National Happiness over Gross National Product. It also hosted a High Level Meeting on “Happiness and Well-Being: Defining a New Economic Paradigm” during the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly.
Check out leading non-profits in the United States who are leading this work:
Gross National Happiness USA – Increasing personal happiness and our collective wellbeing by changing how we measure progress and success.
Happiness Alliance – Providing a scientifically valid measure of well-being online for communities, cities, countries and campuses worldwide.
World Happiness Report
Check out this landmark survey of the state of global happiness that ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be. This year’s World Happiness Report focuses on happiness and the community: how happiness has evolved over the past dozen years, with a focus on the technologies, social norms, conflicts and government policies that have driven those changes.
As always, it’s up to you – your investments and global happiness impact
Let this International Day of Happiness be one of celebration, learning and inquiry. Do you care about happiness and well-being for all? Can the investment process start there?
Whether you have a bank account or an investment account, everyone is an investor. Your money flows through the institutions and business you choose. Do they share your values around happiness and well-being?