Whole-of-society, or Whole of society, is a concept in international relations and related fields which looks to engage diverse groups across society to further common policy goals.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "A whole-of-society approach embraces both formal and informal institutions in seeking a generalized agreement across society about policy goals and the means to achieve them."[1]
The term first appeared in a 2010 paper published by the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.[2]
The European Union has explored a whole-of-society approach to countering hybrid warfare.[3]
The Taiwanese Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee was inaugurated in 2024. The committee's purpose is to organize and standardize civil defense efforts across Taiwan.[4]