Whitepaper Recap: The Five Pillars Index – 2025 Global Edition
- G.O.A.L.
- Jun 17
- 2 min read
In July 2025, G.O.A.L. published the inaugural edition of The Five Pillars Index — the world’s first region-by-region analysis of global quality of life based on the Five Pillars of Health: Nutrition, Movement, Knowledge, Mindset, and Environment.
Rather than ranking countries by GDP, happiness, or healthcare alone, this Index reframes the question entirely: Where in the world does the human system work well — and why? Through a rigorous 25-point evaluation rubric, the report assigns a score from 0–10 for each pillar and an overall regional average, offering individuals a new lens through which to evaluate relocation, lifestyle design, and long-term well-being.
Key Takeaways
The Index evaluates regions, not just countries — capturing real-world quality of life variation within national borders.
Each of the Five Pillars is scored using 5 sub-criteria, from food access and physical activity to education, mental health, and infrastructure.
Top-performing regions like the Benelux, Japan, and the Pacific Northwest (U.S.) scored consistently high across all pillars — offering systemic health, not isolated strengths.
Surprising findings highlight how high GDP does not guarantee high well-being, and how cultural, environmental, and behavioral systems matter just as much as policy.
The Index is not designed for policymakers — it’s built for individuals who want to live better, longer, and more aligned lives.
Why It Matters
Where you live shapes how you live. The Five Pillars Index introduces a human-centered, health-first approach to understanding the world — moving beyond economics and into lived experience. It’s both a relocation tool and a strategic framework for building healthier lives at scale.
This whitepaper is the first edition of an annual series — designed to evolve over time as more data is gathered, more voices are included, and more regions step forward as models for a future worth living.
