Roland Berger Trend Compendium 2050 People and Society

Trend Compendium 2050 - Megatrend 1: People & Society, 2026 Edition

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Cover slide naming the Trend Compendium 2050, Megatrend 1 People & Society, with a 2026 Edition badge.

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Full-bleed teal-tinted photo of a crosswalk with the title at left and a circular icon badge at right

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •teal photo overlay
• •Roland Berger B logo
• •2026 Edition roundel
• •people-and-globe icon

The Roland Berger Trend Compendium 2050 focuses on stable, long-term developments ...

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Explains that the compendium is a global trend study by the Roland Berger Institute (RBI), based on recent public studies and data and meant to be combined with Roland Berger's scenario planning approach.

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Large typographic 2050 with rising arrows at left and four bullets at right

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• •oversized 2050 numerals
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... and explores seven megatrends that will shape the future development of our world by 2050

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Overview of the seven megatrends (People & Society; Politics & Governance; Energy & Resources; Environment & Sustainability; Economics & Business; Technology & Innovation; Health & Care) and their subtrends, with megatrend 1 highlighted.

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Seven numbered columns, each with a colored icon circle and a stacked list of subtrends

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• •seven color-coded icon circles
• •highlight box on megatrend 1
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Megatrend 1, "People & Society", is the focus of this publication - The topic is explored in depth through four subtrends

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Introduces the four subtrends: 1.1 Population, 1.2 Migration, 1.3 Education & Labor and 1.4 Values & Culture.

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Population trends toward 2050 point to a myriad of changes worldwide, affecting regions as well as countries, their growth rates, and age structures

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Headline facts: 1.4 billion more people by 2050 (8.2bn to 9.6bn), Sub-Saharan Africa's population almost doubling, nearly 1.6 billion people over 65 and 2.6 million aged 100+, India at about 1.68 billion in 2050, and median ages from 21.2 (Niger) to 56.7 (South Korea).

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The population growth rate is falling due to lower fertility rates, and by 2050, the vast majority of the 9.6 billion will live in less developed regions

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World population rises from 2.5bn (1950) to 8.2bn (2025) and 9.6bn (2050), peaks at 10.29bn in 2086 and falls to 10.19bn by 2100; in 2050, 87% live in less developed regions and 67% in urban areas, the fertility rate falls from 2.24 to 2.10 and life expectancy rises from 73.5 to 77.0.

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Line chart at left, four pie charts in the middle, commentary column at right

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •S-curve population line
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Future population growth will stem from developing countries - Population of least developed countries is set to grow by 60% towards 2050

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Between 2025 and 2050 more developed regions shrink from 1.29bn to 1.27bn (-1.0%), less developed regions grow from 5.71bn to 6.44bn (+12.8%) and least developed countries grow from 1.20bn to 1.93bn (+60.9%); over 75% of LDC populations live in poverty.

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Three paired bar charts (2025 vs 2050) with percentage-change bubbles and a commentary column

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Due to economic and social developments, fertility rates in developing countries are expected to fall, slowing their population increase over time

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Fertility falls from 4.38 to 2.95 in low-income and from 2.51 to 2.17 in lower-middle-income countries, and edges up from about 1.5 to 1.6 in upper-middle- and high-income countries; the number of countries below replacement rises from 134 to 167, and the slide's callout puts it at 169 by 2050, 94 of them high-income; drivers are contraception, lower child mortality, women's empowerment and changing family attitudes.

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मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

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Between now and 2050, nearly a third of total global population growth is expected to occur in just three countries: India, Nigeria, and Pakistan

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India +220.3m (+15%), Nigeria +121.9m (+52%) and Pakistan +116.4m (+46%) lead growth, while China (-152.3m, -11%), Japan (-18.0m, -15%) and Russia (-8.1m, -6%) shrink the most; also shown are the USA (+34.0m), Germany (-6m) and Italy (-7.2m).

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World map with labeled country callouts and a commentary column

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Population growth entails chances as well as challenges - Making the most of human capital while preserving natural resources will be key to success

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Four chances (larger human capital pool, market expansion, preventing political paralysis, easing budget pressures) set against four challenges (strain on public health, worsening poverty, conflicts over distribution, environmental damage).

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Two-row 4x2 grid labeled Chances (+) and Challenges (-), with icons

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

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Within less than three decades, Africa's population will increase by roughly one billion people - Asia remains the world's population giant

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Population by continent from 2025 to 2050: Asia 4,821m to 5,278m (+9%), Africa 1,532m to 2,448m (+60%), Europe 745m to 704m (-5%), LatAm 666m to 730m, Northern America 386m to 426m, Oceania 46m to 57m (+24%); India (1,668m) and China (1,266m) top Asia's 2050 list and Nigeria (357m) tops Africa's.

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Stacked columns at left and a table of the top five countries per region at right

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •stacked columns
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The global population pyramid is visibly growing sturdier in all regions except Africa, which has the highest percentage of young people

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Population pyramids for 2025 and 2050 for the world and six regions show aging everywhere: Africa stays the youngest, Europe stays the oldest, and Latin America shows the most notable shift from young to old.

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Large world pyramid with six small-multiple regional pyramids and a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •population pyramids
• •age-band color legend
• •gender symbols

Different age cohorts also constitute different generational cohorts shaped by social and technological change and historical events

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Generation sizes for 2025 and 2050 (e.g. Gen Z 2,039m to 1,946m, Gen Beta 129m to 1,931m, Baby Boomers 974m to 180m) and workforce shares (Gen Z 38% in 2025, Gen Beta 23% by 2050); up to seven generations will coexist around 2035.

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Clustered column chart above a workforce-share table, with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •paired columns per generation
• •workforce share table

Declining fertility rates and increasing longevity cause global aging - By 2050, the global median age will increase by 5.2 years to reach 36.1 years

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The world's 65+ share rises from 10.0% to 16.0% and the median age from 30.9 to 36.1; more developed regions reach a median age of 45.1 and life expectancy of 83.9, less developed regions 34.8 and 75.9; there were 857 million people aged 65+ in 2025, doubling to 1.6 billion.

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Three groups of 100% stacked bars with a metrics table underneath (median age, fertility, life expectancy)

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• •stacked percentage bars
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All regions are aging, with fewer people of working age having to support a growing elderly population - Intercontinental differences remain significant

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Old-age support ratios fall from 2025 to 2050 in every region: Europe 2.8 to 1.9, Northern America 3.1 to 2.4, Asia 5.8 to 3.1, Latin America 5.9 to 3.1, Africa 12.7 to 9.2; Europe's median age rises to 46.2.

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World map background with six regional mini-charts of median age bars and pictogram support ratios

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• •person pictograms
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Future retirement ages will rise in most countries - Demographic challenges increase the need for further retirement reforms

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Prospective normal retirement ages range from 74 in Denmark and 70-71 in Estonia, Italy and the Netherlands to 62 in Saudi Arabia and 58 in India; the OECD average rises from 64.7 to 66.4 years for men.

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Stacked columns (current plus increase) for 16 countries with a commentary column

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Globally, the share of people living in urban areas is set to rise from 58% to 67% by 2050 - Highest growth in urbanization is expected in Africa and Asia

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Urban share rises from 57.8% to 67.3% globally; Africa gains +13.3pp (46.4% to 59.7%), Asia +11.0pp (53.6% to 64.6%), and Northern America reaches 86.6% and Latin America 87.6%.

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Six regional tiles with city-skyline icons and percentage-point change badges

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A closer look at a selection of countries shows that their levels of urbanization vary significantly

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Urbanization in 2050 (2025) for selected countries, e.g. Japan 96.0% (92.3), China 89.7% (66.3), India 43.1% (35.7), Nigeria 83.4% (63.8), Niger 33.8% (18.4) and USA 86.5% (80.2).

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Six regional panels with skyscraper graphics labeled by country values

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Urban population growth is outpacing overall population growth, reinforcing the global shift towards cities

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Cities of 50k-1m grow from 1.85bn to 2.42bn (+31.1%), cities of 1-10m from 1.22bn to 1.49bn (+22.6%) and megacities above 10m from 0.63bn to 0.76bn (+22.1%), while world population grows 17.7%; people in cities above 50k grow 26.8% to about 4.7bn.

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Row-based flow diagram from 2025 to 2050 values by city size class

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •value pills
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The growth of the largest cities will be most pronounced in Asia - By 2050, sixteen of the twenty biggest urban agglomerations will stem from Asia

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Jakarta (41.9m to 51.8m) and Dhaka (36.6m to 52.1m) lead the 20 biggest agglomerations; megacities grew from 8 in 1975 to 33 in 2025, and Tokyo declines from 33.4m to 30.7m.

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World map with city pins and 2025/2050 labels, a callout box and a commentary column

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• •city pins
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Urbanization provides plenty of opportunities for growth but also faces numerous challenges in terms of its strain on resources

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Chances and challenges of megacities across five dimensions; for example cities generate over 80% of global GDP but face high living costs, overstretched services, pollution, inequality and administrative complexity.

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Five-column matrix (economic, infrastructure, environmental, social, governance) with chance and challenge rows

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •column headers
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Migration reflects the complex dynamics of people and society within a multi-layered set of factors that extend far beyond economic drivers

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Nine driver dimensions of migration (demographic, economic, security, environmental, politico-institutional, supranational and others); five-year exit rates are 75% in the Netherlands and 67% in Germany versus 12.5-16% in the US.

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Central segmented wheel labeled Drivers with driver lists around it and a commentary column

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Migration is a complex topic - Not every migrant has crossed a border, not every immigrant is a refugee

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Defines refugees, asylum seekers, others in need of protection, other international migrants and IDPs; migrant stock rose from 250m (2015) to 304m (2024), +21.6%.

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Definition cards at left, stacked column at center, commentary at right

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• •definition tiles
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International net migration flows between regions are expected to be on a high level toward 2050 - This reflects only one of many migration aspects

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Cumulative net interregional flows from 2025 to 2050 total +/-72.5m (Northern America +38.8m, Europe +29.8m, Asia -45.8m, Africa -18.7m); interregional stock is 152.2m and intraregional 142.2m in 2024; 82.2m IDPs in 2025.

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Three stacked charts side by side with a commentary column

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By origin, migrants from India dominate in absolute numbers, while the US is the top destination - Middle Eastern countries host most in relative terms

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Top origins: India 18.5m, China 11.7m, Mexico 11.6m; top destinations: USA 52.4m, Germany 16.8m, Saudi Arabia 13.7m; highest migrant shares: Qatar 76.7%, UAE 74.0%, Kuwait 67.3%.

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Three horizontal bar charts side by side with a commentary column

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• •horizontal bars
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International labor migrants constitute the bulk of international migrants, and mostly higher-income host countries benefit

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There were 168m labor migrants in 2022 (164m in 2017); 68.4% work in high-income countries, 87.4% are aged 25-64, and migrant employment rates are 68.3% versus 66.8% for non-migrants.

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Four-quadrant dashboard (bar, donut, stacked bar, pictogram) plus commentary

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Most international labor migrants are male and are employed in the service sector - In case of women, their service sector share is even higher

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61.3% of labor migrants are male and 38.7% female; services account for 80.7% of female and 60.8% of male migrant employment in 2022, with changes from 2019 shown in pp bubbles.

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Gender donut at left, male and female stacked columns for 2019 vs 2022 with change bubbles

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• •donut
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Labor migration is not only beneficial to host countries - Remittances often represent an important source of external financing for nations of origin

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Remittances to LMICs rose from USD 535bn (2019) to a record USD 683bn (2024); India received USD 129bn and Mexico 68bn, remittances equal 45% of GDP in Tajikistan and 38% in Tonga, and average fees are about 6.5% against the 3% SDG target.

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Stacked column time series at left, two ranked column charts at right, commentary column

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• •stacked columns by region
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The vast majority of forcibly displaced people flee to nearby countries - Venezuela is the top origin country of forced displacement, USA is top host

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Selected cross-border FDP groups reached 44.6m in 2025 (118m FDP in total); 65% are hosted by neighboring and 68% by low- and middle-income countries; Venezuela (7.6m), Ukraine (5.3m) and Syria (5.0m) are top origins, and the USA (4.2m) and Germany (3.0m) top hosts.

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Column chart, 100% bars and two ranked stacked column charts, with commentary

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• •stacked columns
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Displaced in their own country due to conflict, violence, or disaster: In previous years, the number of IDPs reached more than 80 million

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IDPs rose from 55m (2020) to 82m (2025): 68.6m from conflict (led by Sudan 9.1m and Colombia 7.2m) and disasters accounting for the rest; the infographic labels 13.6m from disasters while the text says 11.7m; conflict displacement flows hit a record 32.2m in 2025.

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Column chart at left, two radial burst diagrams of top-10 countries in the middle, commentary at right

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• •radial ray chart
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Without global action on climate change, over 216 million people may be forced to migrate within their own countries by 2050

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Under the World Bank's pessimistic scenario there would be 216m internal climate migrants by 2050: Sub-Saharan Africa 86m, East Asia and Pacific 48m, South Asia 41m, North Africa 19m, Latin America 17m, Eastern Europe and Central Asia 5m; action could cut this by 60-80%.

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Column chart with a large pull quote and a commentary column

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Migration inflows differ due to national immigration policies and appeal of host nations - Permanent migration is usually due to work or family

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Permanent immigration to the OECD top 10 in 2024: USA 1.425m, Germany 586k, Canada 483k, UK 435k; family dominates in the US (61%) and Italy (61%), work in Japan (63%), and free movement in Germany and the Netherlands (47%).

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Ten 100% stacked columns with flag roundels and totals, plus commentary

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• •country flags
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Historically a favorite destination country, Trump's wide-ranging changes to immigration policies are expected to drastically reduce migrant numbers

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US refugee ceilings and admissions from 1980 to 2026, with the FY2026 ceiling at 7,500 (lowest ever); US net migration may fall from a 2.7m peak in 2024 to between -10,000 and 295,000 in 2025, with policy changes including expanded travel bans covering 19 countries.

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Line chart with shaded Trump terms at left, a highlighted box below, and a policy-change list at right

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •dual-line chart
• •shaded periods
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Migration policy development in many countries show starker restrictions, third country processing trends, and a shift to more skills-based approaches

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Country-by-country policy roundup: the EU Migration and Asylum Pact from June 2026, UK 30-month refugee protection, Japan's Zero Plan, Australia's anti-visa-hopping rule, Brazil's humanitarian visa framework and Tuvalu's climate visa (280 people a year).

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Mosaic of light-teal country cards over a map background

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• •card grid
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The use of AI in all areas migration management promises to increase efficiency, reduce uncertainty, and improve decision making

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AI applications across the four-stage migration cycle (pre-departure, entry, stay, return), such as visa chatbots, biometric checks and job-matching, alongside risks of surveillance and algorithmic bias.

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Circular four-step cycle diagram around an AI icon with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •circular arrows
• •numbered stages
• •AI icon

Educational attainment has come a long way - Staying in education longer is now the new global norm and still growing to 2050

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The adult population with post-secondary education rises from 10% (2000, 4.3bn adults) to 19% (2025, 6.1bn) and 28% (2050, 7.7bn), while no education falls from 19% to 12% to 7%.

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Three groups of graduate-cap silhouettes sized by share, with bullets below

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •scaled people icons with caps
• •percentage labels

The share of post secondary attainment is increasing in all regions to 2050 - Regionally, educational attainment levels continue to vary substantially

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Post-secondary shares from 2025 to 2050: North America 39% to 48%, Europe 29% to 41%, Asia 18% to 31%, Latin America 17% to 25%, Africa 8% to 14%, Oceania 33% to 41%; one in four Africans had no education in 2025.

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Six regional pairs of 100% stacked columns with continent icons

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •stacked columns
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China and India are projected to continue having the largest highly skilled young workforces - Singapore and South Korea lead in relative terms

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Post-secondary educated 30-34 year-olds: China 43.3m (2025) rising to 67.7m (2050), India 24.7m to 43.7m; by share, Singapore and South Korea reach 86% in 2050 and Angola 4%.

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Four horizontal bar charts (absolute and share, 2025 vs 2050)

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• •horizontal bars
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Across fields of study, the share of women and men varies significantly - In engineering and IT, less than a third of graduates are women

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Women make up 79% of education graduates and 77% of health and welfare graduates, but only 29% in engineering, manufacturing and construction and 24% in ICT (global average, 2023).

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100% horizontal diverging bars by field with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •two-tone 100% bars

Education is becoming more international as the rise in global student mobility shows

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Over 6 million international students in 2023 (5.1m in the OECD), projected at 8.5m by 2030; the OECD share rose from 5% to 12%, led by Luxembourg 52%, the UK 23% and Canada 21%.

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Clustered column chart for 2015 vs 2023 by country with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •paired columns
• •OECD total highlighted

Anglosphere countries are the most popular destinations for international students - Most international students originate from Asia

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Inbound leaders in 2023: USA 957k, UK 748k, Australia 467k; outbound leaders: China 1,076k and India 834k.

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Two horizontal bar rankings with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •horizontal bars
• •inbound vs outbound color

Post-pandemic, global education VC funding has experienced a clear correction - Also reflected in the number and valuation of EdTech unicorns

सामग्री

EdTech VC funding fell from a USD 20.8bn peak in 2021 to 2.4bn in 2025; EdTech unicorns went from 35 (valued at USD 104bn) in 2022 to 14 (USD 34bn) in 2025.

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Stacked column time series above two column charts, with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •stacked columns by country
• •-72% callout

AI has already entered the classroom, shaping how the next generation learns, works, and navigates an AI-driven world

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Top student and teacher AI use cases (e.g. summarizing information, 45; brainstorming lesson ideas, 45) and concerns (plagiarism, 41-42; misinformation, 37; over-dependence) from Microsoft's AI in Education Report.

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Two panels of horizontal bars (use cases vs concerns) split into student and teacher rows

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Education is key to prosperity - While time spent in education translates into prosperity after a certain number of years' schooling ...

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Scatter of years of schooling vs GDP per capita PPP (2023) for countries from Djibouti to Luxembourg; literacy went from 12% of the global population in 1820 to fewer than 12% remaining illiterate by 2023.

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Scatter plot with labeled countries and a commentary column

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• •labeled dots
• •axis titles

... the same applies - even more strongly - to the relationship between educational quality and prosperity

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Scatter of average PISA score vs GDP per capita PPP (2025) shows a stronger link between education quality and income, with Singapore, Ireland and Japan among the labeled countries.

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Scatter plot with labeled countries and a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •labeled dots

Education is beneficial for both the economy and the individual, as higher levels of education translate into higher incomes

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Relative earnings by attainment in 2022: upper-secondary graduates earn 32% more than those without on the OECD average (index 132), and tertiary graduates in Chile earn about 420% more.

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Column plus dot chart across countries with the OECD average highlighted

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •columns with dot overlay
• •highlighted average

Although higher education leads to higher earnings in all regions, salary differentials widen over the course of a professional career

सामग्री

Relative earnings of bachelor's-or-higher holders aged 25-34 vs 45-54 in 2022; the OECD average for 25-34 year-olds is 185 and 45-54 year-olds earn about 85% more, with Chile's premium for 45-54 year-olds at 653%.

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Column plus dot chart across countries with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •columns
• •dot markers
• •OECD highlight

Higher levels of education also translate into better employment chances - Individuals with tertiary education are less likely to be jobless

सामग्री

Employment rates of 25-35 year-olds in 2023 by attainment; the OECD average is roughly 61% below upper secondary, 79% upper secondary and 87% tertiary (read from the chart).

लेआउट संरचना

Dot range chart per country with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •three-tone dots
• •dashed range lines

The shortage of skilled workers poses a problem for many labor markets - One possible option is to attract skilled workers from developing economies

सामग्री

Annual net workforce inflows from 2025 to 2050: China falls from +4.1m to -11.4m by 2050 and Japan and Germany are negative, while India (16.2m falling to 3.6m), Nigeria (3.8m rising to 5.4m) and Pakistan stay positive.

लेआउट संरचना

Four small line charts grouped as negative/mixed vs positive, with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •multi-line panels
• •endpoint labels

In many developed economies, annual working hours have been declining for decades - Generation Z aspires to reduce working hours even further

सामग्री

Annual working hours in the USA, UK, France, Japan, Canada, Germany, Italy and the OECD from 1970 to 2024, falling to 1,331-1,796 hours by 2024, alongside Gen Z's interest in a four-day week.

लेआउट संरचना

Multi-line chart with endpoint values and a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •eight series lines
• •COVID dip in 2020

Labor productivity growth in advanced economies has been declining notably for some time - BRICS countries volatility range is comparatively high

सामग्री

Five-year moving average labor productivity growth from 1975 to 2025 shows G7 economies sliding toward near zero, while China, India and other BRICS are higher but more volatile.

लेआउट संरचना

Two stacked multi-line charts (G7 and BRICS) with bullets underneath

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •solid and dashed series lines

Labor productivity in the age of AI: Academic studies confirm that generative AI can drive an economically significant increase in productivity

सामग्री

AI could add 0.41-1.28pp a year to US productivity growth depending on adoption speed (UK 0.39-1.27, Japan 0.16-0.82); task gains include writing +40%, software +26.1% and client support +18%; Acemoglu projects 0.7% TFP growth and only 5% of enterprises see above-zero returns.

लेआउट संरचना

Grouped horizontal bars over a single-series bar chart, with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •slow/medium/rapid bars
• •task bars

The effect of generative AI strongly depends on occupation, as well as adoption speed and quality

सामग्री

After ChatGPT launched, US job postings for automation-prone roles fell 13% and augmentation-prone roles rose 20% (Harvard Business School difference-in-differences, 2019-2025).

लेआउट संरचना

Two-line time series with a ChatGPT launch marker and a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •event marker line
• •diverging lines

Values and culture are fundamental to people and society - Understanding their complex interconnection shapes our world view

सामग्री

Defines values (the why: underlying beliefs) and culture (the how: shared customs and behaviors) and how they interact.

लेआउट संरचना

Two text panels flanking a circular arrow graphic with a center statement

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •circular arrows
• •large italic center quote

According to the signatories of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone is entitled to the 30 rights and freedoms stated therein ...

सामग्री

Article 2 of the 1948 UDHR and an icon grid of all 30 rights; all 193 UN member states have signed on to its principles.

लेआउट संरचना

Quote and bullets at left with a 3x10 icon grid of rights at right

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •30 numbered icon tiles
• •teal quote

... and to the provisions made in subsequent important and binding treaties influenced by the UDHR - In reality, asserting these rights is often arduous

सामग्री

Timeline of core human rights treaties from the UDHR in 1948 through ICERD (1965), the ICCPR and ICESCR (1976), CEDAW (1979), CAT (1984), CRC (1989), the migrant workers convention (1990) and the 2006 disability and enforced disappearance conventions.

लेआउट संरचना

Snake-path timeline with year cards and a highlighted takeaway band

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •serpentine arrow
• •year cards
• •gavel icon

In addition, UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 are broadening the global consensus on values - A challenging blueprint for a better future for all

सामग्री

The 17 SDGs adopted in 2015, with 169 targets and 232 indicators, and 2020-2030 designated the Decade of Action.

लेआउट संरचना

SDG color tile grid with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •17 SDG tiles
• •SDG wordmark

Even though many SDGs are already being addressed in many regions, numerous challenges continue to persist around the world

सामग्री

A 2025 SDG dashboard rating achievement level and trend for each of the 17 goals across seven regions plus the world average (156 countries, population-weighted).

लेआउट संरचना

Heatmap-style matrix of colored dots and trend arrows

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •dot ratings
• •trend arrows
• •SDG icons as column headers

While global SDG progress remains uneven overall, several countries are demonstrating measurable improvements across key indicators

सामग्री

Four success cases: China cut poverty from 50% (2000) to virtually 0 by 2021, India's lower secondary completion rose from about 60% to 88%, Argentina's share of women in parliament rose from 27% to 41%, and Iraq's internet use reached 81% in 2025.

लेआउट संरचना

Four rows of SDG icon, country flag, sparkline and explanation

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •SDG tiles
• •flags
• •sparklines

SDGs touch on some of the many diverse aspects of societal and cultural development, their lived individuality and changing complexity

सामग्री

A word cloud of diversity dimensions (gender identity, race/ethnicity, language, ability, age and more) with a Mahatma Gandhi quote on unity in diversity.

लेआउट संरचना

Overlapping-circle word cloud with a quote and a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •Venn-style circles
• •varied type weights
• •quote

The status of human freedom paints a mixed picture - How will global values be shaped in the future?

सामग्री

The Human Freedom Index has trended down since 2000 to 6.17 (2023), dropping from 6.36 in 2019 to 6.16 in 2021; Switzerland scores highest (9.15) and Syria lowest (3.27), with 91 countries declining and 67 improving; a sidebar lists push-and-pull factors toward 2050.

लेआउट संरचना

Choropleth map with text below and a dark navy outlook panel at right

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •freedom choropleth
• •dark sidebar with large 2050

Personal and economic freedom are broadly improving, but progress varies among countries and across freedom dimensions

सामग्री

Freedom scores by area for 2000 vs 2023, e.g. expression 6.8 to 6.2 and association 7.2 to 6.8 down, sound money 6.8 to 7.4 up; only 13.8% of people live in top-quartile jurisdictions and 39.4% in the bottom quartile.

लेआउट संरचना

Two paired horizontal bar charts (personal vs economic) with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •paired bars

Religion is a fundamental personal freedom - All major religious groups are increasing. By 2050, Christians and Muslims will have a near equal share

सामग्री

From 2020 to 2050, Christians grow from 2.46bn to 3.03bn (31.4%) and Muslims from 2.00bn to 2.86bn (29.6%), while the unaffiliated share falls to 13.2%; about 87% will be religiously affiliated by 2050.

लेआउट संरचना

Two donut charts (7.86bn and 9.65bn totals) with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •donuts with center totals

At the current pace based on a steady country sample, closing the global gender gap will take more than 120 years

सामग्री

The WEF Global Gender Gap Index 2025 stands at 69.0% across 148 economies, with 123 years to parity; Iceland leads (gap 7.4%), followed by Finland, Norway, the UK and New Zealand.

लेआउट संरचना

World choropleth with a top-10 list and a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •gender gap choropleth
• •top-10 list

Gender parity measured along 4 dimensions highlights greatest room for improvement necessary in political and economic spheres

सामग्री

Subindex scores: health and survival 96%, education 95%, economic participation 61% and political empowerment 23%; political parity is 162 years away and economic parity 135 years.

लेआउट संरचना

Five horizontal progress bars with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •filled progress bars

In politics, gender parity remains a distant goal in many countries - Only six major countries have achieved parity

सामग्री

Women in parliaments: the world average rose from 22% (2015) to 27% (2025); Rwanda (64%), Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Mexico and the UAE have parity, while Japan is at 10%; parity is not expected before 2063.

लेआउट संरचना

Two ranked horizontal bar charts (2015 vs 2025) with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •bars with World row bolded

Gender inequality in the economic sphere is a global concern: In every region, the workplace gender gap remains significant - Progress is slow at all levels

सामग्री

Women held about 30% of managerial positions in 2024 (just under 25% in 2000), led only 163 of the 2,811 MSCI ACWI companies, and board parity may not arrive until 2038; the chart's regional values (e.g. World 45%/55%) do not match the 30% in the text and look like gender splits rather than women's shares.

लेआउट संरचना

Clustered columns by region (2000 vs 2024) with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •paired columns
• •World column bolded

Aspects of gender diversity and gender identity are legally recognized in a number of countries - Though to varying degrees

सामग्री

LGBTQ+ legal status in 2025: homosexual activity is legal in 131 countries and illegal in 62, same-sex marriage is legal in 38, the right to change legal gender exists in 32 and non-binary recognition in 17.

लेआउट संरचना

Five segmented 100% horizontal bars with a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •legal/in-between/illegal segments

Globally, around 1.3 billion people are affected by disability - The disability employment gap is large, even in richer areas like the EU

सामग्री

1.3bn people (16%) live with significant disability; EU employment gaps in 2024 were 24.0pp for disability, 18.1pp foreign-born women vs men, 15.7pp, 10.8pp and 10.0pp women vs men; OECD disability employment is about 40%.

लेआउट संरचना

Funnel/staircase graphic of gap sizes with people icons and a commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •funnel steps
• •wheelchair and person icons

Globally, significant gaps remain in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, with leading countries advancing while others fall behind

सामग्री

A 2026 DEI country index map across 188 countries led by Sweden; top risers are Gabon (+16) and Nicaragua (+14), top decliners Liberia (-25) and the United States (-16, from #26 to #43).

लेआउट संरचना

High/mid/low choropleth with two mover tables and bullets below

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •three-tone map
• •mover tables

US corporations are rapidly scaling back their DEI efforts following the 2024 election - Reversing prior progress and reshaping hiring outcomes

सामग्री

A July 2025 survey found reduced hiring of women of color (37%), LGBTQIA+ people (34%) and men of color (33%) after DEI cuts, along with lower morale (47%) and retention of diverse employees (36%).

लेआउट संरचना

Two horizontal bar charts with bullets below

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •horizontal bars

In the workplace, fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion practices is key to growth - DEI enhances performance, innovation, and work culture

सामग्री

Five DEI benefits: talent attraction, innovation, financial performance, employee engagement, and customer and market growth.

लेआउट संरचना

Staggered dark pill headers cascading down with descriptions, large DEI watermark, commentary column

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •stepped pill headers
• •oversized DEI text

Corporate actions - Let's talk about opportunities arising from megatrends regarding people and society

सामग्री

Actions for companies facing a shrinking talent pool (AI-enabled workforce planning, broader hiring) and changing demographics and urbanization (entering high-growth markets, serving aging customers, smart city infrastructure).

लेआउट संरचना

Impact headers with action bands and a teal sidebar promoting Roland Berger analyses

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •impact arrows icon
• •vertical Actions label
• •report thumbnails

Corporate actions - Let's talk about opportunities arising from megatrends regarding people and society

सामग्री

Actions for a more diverse workforce from migration (recruitment, resource groups, multilingual support) and for AI-driven productivity (AI strategy, AI talent, the lights-out factory).

लेआउट संरचना

Impact headers with action bands and a sidebar of Roland Berger offerings

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •action bands
• •report cover thumbnails

Corporate actions - Let's talk about opportunities arising from megatrends regarding people and society

सामग्री

Actions on evolving DEI expectations: keep DEI fundamentals and transparent reporting, integrate DEI into strategy, rethink talent assessment and engage stakeholders.

लेआउट संरचना

Single impact band with a Think:Act magazine sidebar

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •action band
• •magazine thumbnail

Main sources

सामग्री

Lists the main sources: UN World Population Prospects 2024 and World Urbanization Prospects 2025, IOM World Migration Report 2026, IDMC GRID 2026, OECD International Migration Outlook and Education at a Glance 2025, Wittgenstein Centre, ILO, the UN SDGs and the Cato Human Freedom Index 2025.

लेआउट संरचना

Text list of sources with URLs beside the navigation rail

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •linked source list

Authors

सामग्री

Authors from the Roland Berger Institute: Dr. Christian Krys (Senior Expert), Dr. David Born (Manager) and Steffen Geering (Expert).

लेआउट संरचना

Three circular headshots with names and contacts over a teal photo band

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •circular portraits
• •teal background photo

Photo credit

सामग्री

Image credits: page 1 VTT Studio/Adobe Stock; pages 77-79 vegefox.com/Adobe Stock.

लेआउट संरचना

Title with credit lines over a full-width photo

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •digital globe photo

Back cover

सामग्री

Closing page with the Roland Berger B logo and wordmark over a digital globe image; no text content.

लेआउट संरचना

Full-bleed image with logo at bottom left and wordmark at bottom right

मुख्य दृश्य तत्व

• •B monogram
• •network globe image