The welfare society we want to pass on
Thoughts on well-being within planetary boundaries
Published by Danish Social Innovation Academy October 30, 2025
Preface
We are at a crossroads. The welfare society we know and are proud of is under pressure. This is evident in the shortage of labor in key welfare areas, in the perceived lack of time and resources for what is most important to us, and in growing concern among the population about whether the welfare society will still be there when they grow old or become ill.
But also in a more insidious sense that we as a society are failing to translate the enormous increase in material wealth into increased well-being and prioritization of what matters most to us: communities, close relationships, and meaning in life.
We are facing accelerating ecological crises and a growing awareness of the consequences our social model has for the climate, the environment, and nature. At the same time, we are discussing whether we can afford both welfare and green transition. Whether we can tax beef if it means that single mothers can no longer afford to serve spaghetti with meat sauce to their children. And how we can work more and ensure the economic growth that is the foundation of the welfare society. It is as if the two realities – a welfare society under pressure and accelerating ecological crises – do not meet in the conversation about how our society should develop and how we should act.
But what happens if we allow the two realities to meet? What does the welfare society look like if the premise is that the well-being of plants and humans is inextricably linked? And what opportunities for action open up if we allow the communities and nature we want to thrive to form the basis? Over the past year, a working group at Danish Social Innovation Academy has put its collective brainpower into exploring these questions. We have come together across different perspectives, experiences, and roles. We have talked to each other and to practitioners and experts, and we have delved into relevant literature and examples of new and inspiring practices.
We wanted—and continue to want—to breathe new life into the conversation about the development of our welfare society, which we perceive as stuck, characterized by false contradictions, and with too little room for discussion about what welfare actually is and should be in the future.
There is already a lot going on, a lot sprouting, and we can draw inspiration from this. Local communities where micro-actions related to green transition create social cohesion and relationships. Citizen-driven meeting places that create frameworks for local business development and communities. New models for decision-making processes in municipalities, where planetary boundaries are taken into account in the decision-making process. This gives us hope that there are ways forward and opportunities for action. We see a need to incorporate these perspectives into our local and national discussions on the development of our welfare society and in the development of new practices.
This text is for those of you who work with welfare in practice, strategically, or politically, and who want a new conversation about what welfare is—and should be in the future.
Enjoy reading—we look forward to the dialogue!
Anders Folmer Buhelt, Academic Director at Danish Social Innovation Academy
Christa Breum Amhøj, Founder of Aktionsuniversitetet
Britt Wendelboe, Project Manager at TrygFonden
Elise Sydendal, climate activist at Den Grønne Ungdomsbevægelse(TheGreen Youth Movement)
Emma Holten, feminist, activist, moderator, and author
Gitte Bylov Larsen, Directorof Social and Health Services at Gladsaxe Municipality
Helene Bækmark, Director of the Regional Secretariat in theCentral Denmark Region
Helene Forsberg, Director of the Women's Council
Johan Dubert, Director of Social Innovation and Founder of Impactly
Malte Moll Wingender, Partner at Analyse & Tal
Mikkel Klausen, Head of Grants, Development & Communication at LB Foreningen
Torben Frølich, Municipal Director at Gentofte Municipality
