Private capital has the potential to improve social outcomes globally, according to new research from wealth manager AlTi Tiedemann Global.

The firm has released its 2025 global social progress index, which measures the performance of 170 countries across key drivers of social progress including health, safety, education, infrastructure, rights and more since 2011.

This year’s index found that the world has stagnated since 2020, after a decade of steady growth in social progress.

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In the last year, 73 countries (43 per cent) experienced little or no social progress, and 25 countries (15 per cent) saw a significant decline.

AlTi Tiedemann Global said that this contrasts with improvements in global economic performance in recent years.

The firm believes that private capital could be critical to driving more inclusive world performance and bridging the gap between economic and social progress.

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AlTi Tiedemann Global has identified four key areas where private capital could help: investment in infrastructure and technology to boost health outcomes; flows of capital towards human rights groups and independent media outlets to protect basic freedoms; funding new energy technologies; and investment in gender equity to support women globally.

“Our clients are some of the most discerning and dynamic capital holders in the world, and collectively private capital has the power to make a tangible difference to the world’s most pressing problems,” said Michael Tiedemann, chief executive of AlTi Tiedemann Global.

The index shines a light on the specific areas where private capital can make the biggest difference, at a time when the world has plateaued on social progress. We hope that the Index will serve as an actionable and practical tool to drive faster social progress for the benefit of all.”

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