Exploring the interdependencies among social progress index (SPI) components and their impact on country-level sustainability performance based on Bayesian Belief Network
Received date: 2024-12-01
Accepted date: 2025-06-13
Online published: 2025-07-08
The social progress index (SPI) measures social and environmental performance beyond traditional economic indicators, providing transparent and actionable insights into the true condition of societies. This study investigates the interdependencies among SPI components and their impact on country-level sustainability performance. Using a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) approach, the analysis explores the interdependencies among 12 SPI components (including advanced education, basic education, environmental quality, freedom and choice, health, housing, inclusive society, information and communications, nutrition and medical care, rights and voice, safety, and water and sanitation) and their collective influence on sustainability performance. Data from the Sustainable Development Report and SPI datasets, covering 162 countries (including Australia, China, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, and so on), were used to assess the relative importance of each SPI component. The key findings indicate that advanced education, inclusive society, and freedom and choice make substantial contributions to high sustainability performance, whereas deficiencies in nutrition and medical care, water and sanitation, and freedom and choice are associated with poor sustainability performance. The results reveal that sustainability performance is shaped by a network of interlinked SPI components, with education and inclusion emerging as key levers for progress. The study emphasizes that targeted improvements in specific SPI components can significantly enhance a country’s overall sustainability performance. Rather than visualizing countries’ progress through composite indicator-based heat maps, this study explores the interdependencies among SPI components and their role in sustainability performance at the global level. The study underscores the importance of a multidimensional policy approach that addresses social and environmental factors to enhance sustainability. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how SPI components interact and shape sustainable development.
Abroon QAZI . Exploring the interdependencies among social progress index (SPI) components and their impact on country-level sustainability performance based on Bayesian Belief Network[J]. Regional Sustainability, 2025 , 6(3) : 100230 . DOI: 10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100230
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