ISI Academy - The Beyond-GDP Debate

Enrico Giovannini is a full professor of Economic statistics and of Sustainable development at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” and professor at the National School of Administration (SNA). He was Minister of Sustainable Infrastructures and Mobility in the Draghi government (2021–2022) and Minister of Labour and Social Policies in the Letta government (April 2013-February 2014). He is co-founder and Scientific Director of the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS), a coalition of more than 300 organisations established to implement in Italy the UN 2030 Agenda. He was Director of Statistics and Chief Statistician of the OECD (2001-2009), President of the Italian Statistical Institute (2009-2013) and visiting fellow at the European Political Strategy Centre of the European Commission (2014-2015).  During his career, he was chair or member of important national, European and international committees and bodies. In October 2014, the President of the Italian Republic made him “Cavaliere di Gran Croce al Merito della Repubblica”, the highest-ranking honour of the Italian Republic. In January 2023, he received an honorary PhD in “Sustainable development and climate change”. He is the author of more than 130 articles published in national and international journals and eight books on statistical and economic topics.

Anu Peltola is the Director of Statistics, Data and Digital Services, of the Trade and Development Organization of the UN. In this role, she leads the release of official statistics and analytical Insights on trade and development globally. The Service facilitates responsible and innovative use of new technology, artificial intelligence and data science approaches in UNCTAD, empowering countries with digital tools, such as the TiSSTAT system for services trade statistics. As the custodian agency of nine SDG indicators on international trade, investment, illicit finance, south-south cooperation, and enterprise sustainability, UNCTAD supports countries’ statistical capacity in monitoring the SDGs. Together with the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General, UNDESA, and UNDP, UNCTAD leads the UN initiative on Beyond GDP and coordinates the UN effort to cost the achievement of sustainable development. Ms Peltola is also currently serving as the co-chair of the Committee of Chief Statisticians of the UN System, and the broader Committee for the statistical coordination of international organizations, the CCSA. Prior to joining UNCTAD, she worked at the UNECE Statistics Division and started her career at Statistics Finland. 

Richard Samans is a Senior Fellow at the Geneva Graduate Institute for International and Development Studies; Nonresident Senior Fellow of The Brookings Institution; Special Advisor to the United Nations Economist Network; and Senior Economic Adviser to the World Business Council on Sustainable Development. He is the author of numerous publications, including “Human-Centred Economics: The Living Standards of Nations”, which the Financial Times selected as one of the best books of 2024 on Economics. He was previously Research Department Director and G20/G7 Sherpa of the International Labour Organization; founder and chairman of the Climate Disclosure Standards Board; a Managing Director of the World Economic Forum; and Director-General of the Global Green Growth Institute. He served earlier as Special Assistant to the President for International Economic Policy and National Security Council Senior Director for International Economic Affairs in the second Clinton-Gore Administration, as well as economic policy advisor to former US Senate Democratic Leader Thomas A. Daschle.