Sustainable Governance Indicators (SGI)

The Sustainable Governance Indicators (SGI), published in spring 2009, analyze and compare the need for reform in OECD member countries, as well as their ability to respond to current social and political challenges. The project is designed to create a comprehensive data pool on government-related activities in the world's developed, free-market democracies. In addition, it uses international comparisons to provide evidence-based input for reform-related public discourse taking place in these countries. Using qualitative and quantitative data, the SGI measure the current need for political, economic and social reform in all 30 OECD member states. At the same time, it examines to what extent the countries' governments are able to tackle pressing problems and implement effective solutions.

After the democracy ranking's initial release in February 2009, it will be updated and reissued on a biennal basis. The project supplements the Bertelsmann Stiftung's current portfolio of comparative analytical tools. Since 2002, for example, its Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) has been documenting the progress 125 transformation countries have been making toward democracy and a market economy.

Using a similar approach, the SGI evaluate the extent to which OECD member states are in a position, given changing domestic and international conditions, to implement the reforms necessary for ensuring their future viability. By measuring the need for reform along with the effectiveness of initiatives that have already been implemented, the SGI want to identify the best policy solutions for promoting democracy and a market economy.

SGI findings are based on quantitative data from international organizations, supplemented by evaluations provided by renowned country experts.

Project duration: Launched in April 2006