Economic and social sustainability across time and space in an ageing society (SustAgeable)
Population ageing poses challenges to the financial sustainability of the welfare state and to today’s benefits and services. This could jeopardize the social sustainability of our society and increase inequality. We therefore seek to identify when economic and social sustainability are mutually supportive, but also where there are conflicts between them.
SustAgeable is looking for solutions that promote and enhance well-being while securing the welfare state’s future funding base.
We provide information that supports decision-makers in their decision-making processes over the sustainability of our welfare society.
The research project focuses on
- the distribution of well-being between regions, generations and groups of people
- curbing the growth of social and health care expenditure
- opportunities to prolong careers and develop the integration of immigrants
- the distribution of care responsibilities
- regional differences in population ageing trends due to internal and international migration.
Work packages
- Distribution of well-being
- Careers
- Migration
- Care
- Social and health care expenditure
Consortium
- Finnish Institute for health and welfare (THL)
- Labore
- VATT Institute for Economic Research
- Finnish Centre for Pensions (ETK)
- University of Eastern Finland (UEF)
- University of Helsinki
- MDI
Project website
https://www.sustageable.fi/en/
Social media
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Recent posts
- Sustainability must be considered as a single entityby katjamakkyla on 12.9.2025 at 08:37
The recent book Social Sustainability in Ageing Welfare States discusses social sustainability from different perspectives. In their book chapter, Paula Saikkonen and Paul Bridgen examine how sustainability can be understood and what it means for care services. They use the concept of integrated sustainability to emphasize that sustainability must be considered as a single entity. The post Sustainability must be considered as a single entity appeared first on SustAgeable.
- Are We Worse Off Than Our Parents? What Declining Mobility Says About Our Well-Beingby katjamakkyla on 2.9.2025 at 12:42
The recent book Social Sustainability in Ageing Welfare States discusses social sustainability from different perspectives. In their book chapter, Toni Juuti and Ohto Kanninen reveal what the decline in income mobility says about our well-being and satisfaction with life. The post Are We Worse Off Than Our Parents? What Declining Mobility Says About Our Well-Being appeared first on SustAgeable.
- Extending working lives – balancing economic and social sustainability?by katjamakkyla on 21.8.2025 at 11:46
As populations age, longer working lives have become central to ensuring the economic sustainability of pension systems and the welfare state. Less often asked, however, is for whom continued employment is realistic — and under what conditions. Our recent chapter in the book Social Sustainability in Ageing Welfare States shows that socially sustainable extension of working lives requires recognizing inequalities and adopting a life-course perspective. The post Extending working lives – balancing economic and social sustainability? appeared first on SustAgeable.
- Care is a key question in social sustainabilityby katjamakkyla on 19.8.2025 at 08:29
The book Social Sustainability in Ageing Welfare States discusses social sustainability from different perspectives. In their book chapter, Minna Zechner and Lena Näre explain how the care perspective on social sustainability directs attention to social relationships involved in fulfilling individual needs. The post Care is a key question in social sustainability appeared first on SustAgeable.
- Workforce or future citizens? Attitudes towards migration need a breath of fresh airby katjamakkyla on 10.4.2025 at 10:00
The current discussion on migration does not serve the Finnish society and its future. Political decision-makers are often caught up in current political disputes and fail to look towards the future. That is why migrants are often reduced to a problem that should be solved or a resource that should be utilised. The “Tuuletusta maahanmuuttokeskusteluun” event, organised by the DEMOGRAPHY programme on 10 April 2025 aimed to bring fresh perspectives to the public debate on migration. The post Workforce or future citizens? Attitudes towards migration need a breath of fresh air appeared first on SustAgeable.
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