Project summary

Carnegie UK began this work in 2016, with the support of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, by working with organisations to test what could be done to encourage kinder communities. Stories of how everyday relationships support the wellbeing of individuals and communities – as well as some of the barriers that can inhibit kindness – are captured in our report The Place of Kindness.  

In 2018, we then worked with Carnegie UK Fellow, Julia Unwin DBE, to examine the role of kindness in public policy. Her report: “Kindness, emotions and human relationships: The blind spot in public policy”, argues that, while there have been good reasons for keeping kindness separate from public policy, the major challenges of our time demand an approach that is more centred on relationships; and with technology and artificial intelligence transforming the way we do things, it is imperative that public policy places equal weight on emotional intelligence. 

In the same year, we published findings from the first ever quantitative survey on experiences of kindness in communities and public services. The data series: “Quantifying kindness, public engagement and place”, presented a complex picture across the UK and Ireland, with generally high levels of kindness but at the same time variations in experiences between jurisdictions and different social groups. 

In 2019, we undertook a range of projects to explore what it takes to put kindness into practice. Our report, The Practice of Kindness, brought together learning on the practical implementation of kindness, and also highlighted challenges relating to attitudes towards risk, professionalism and performance management. 

Building on this knowledge and experience in the final years of the programme, we worked with Carnegie Associate, Dr Elizabeth Kelly. Exploring the role of kindness in health and social care in Scotland. Through this project we worked with a small group of medics to reflect on learning from the healthcare response to COVID-19, the findings of which can be found in our report: “The courage to be kind”. 

We coordinated a Kindness Leadership Network, made up of leaders in different sectors across England, Scotland and Wales, to co-create a vision and set of practical tools to unlock kindness within organisations. Our findings from this work were shared in Leading with Kindness.