Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Nicola Sturgeon Received the Wellbeing Awards 2026

Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Nicola Sturgeon were presented with the Wellbeing Awards at the Wellbeing Economy Forum 2026, held at Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík in April.

Dóra Guðrún, Chair of the Forum, Nicola Sturgeon, Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir, Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Knut-Inge Klepp, Scientific Coordinator of JA PreventNCD

The awards recognised individuals who had made a significant contribution to advancing wellbeing in their societies and beyond. They were presented in the spirit of encouraging a solution-oriented and humane approach that supports sustainability and the transformation of economies in service of people and nature.

During their time as Prime Ministers, both leaders placed strong emphasis on developing a new approach to economic and social policy, with wellbeing, quality of life and equity at the centre. Under their leadership, work was undertaken to introduce measures that better reflected people’s real welfare, alongside a strong focus on public health, education, social security and sustainable development.

Katrín Jakobsdóttir led work to introduce wellbeing indicators into Icelandic governance and advanced a policy approach focused on the long-term quality of life of the population. She has also played a key role internationally, including as Chair of the WHO Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health, where she has worked to strengthen the connection between climate action and public health.

Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Nicola Sturgeon at the Wellbeing Economy Forum 2026

Nicola Sturgeon was at the forefront of Scotland’s development as a leading wellbeing economy government, including through the Wellbeing Economy Governments partnership — WEGo. She placed emphasis on social justice, equality and action against poverty, as well as on developing policymaking that measures societal progress through more than economic growth alone.

Since leaving office, both leaders have continued to contribute internationally, sharing their experience and supporting the continued development of wellbeing economies and sustainable policymaking.

“I am extremely proud and grateful to receive this award alongside my friend and former colleague, Nicola Sturgeon. It gives me inspiration and hope that more nations will embrace this vision of prosperity and look beyond traditional measures such as GDP. It is my sincere conviction that the wellbeing economy and the broad values it represents should be our guiding light towards a fairer and more sustainable future for us all,” said Katrín Jakobsdóttir.

“It is a great honour to receive the Wellbeing Award alongside Katrín Jakobsdóttir. I am extremely proud of the role my government in Scotland played in advancing the vision of placing wellbeing at the heart of economic policy. For too long, we have been brought up to believe that health and wellbeing must take second place to economic growth. I believe the opposite is true: the only economies that can be considered truly successful are those that have a positive impact on people’s health and happiness, while also ensuring material security. In a world marked by increasing instability, it is more important than ever to prioritise wellbeing,” said Nicola Sturgeon.

Knut-Inge Klepp, Dóra Guðrún and Elín Hirst

“The leaders receiving this year’s Wellbeing Awards demonstrated in practice that it is possible to place wellbeing at the centre of public policymaking. They showed the courage to look beyond traditional measures and focus on what truly matters for people’s quality of life and the future of societies,” said Dóra Guðrún Guðmundsdóttir, Head of Division at the Directorate of Health in Iceland and Chair of the Wellbeing Economy Forum.