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CSR Europe, together with a group of global companies, call on businesses and policymakers to take leadership in tackling demographic change in Europe by promoting active age management and better integration of older employees in the workplace. Focusing on the issue of wellbeing at work, the group provides practical advice for companies and outlines examples of current corporate practices in this area. It also appeals to the European Union and national governments to work on a more harmonized legislative framework to facilitate the recruitment and employability of older citizens in the European Union. Initiated by CSR Europe and led by Johnson & Johnson, the two-year ‘CSR Laboratory’ project brought together companies from various sectors to identify current challenges and business practices related to the ageing workforce and the development of wellbeing policies addressing the specific needs of older employees. The working group, which included companies such as Accor Services, BASF, Dow, Randstad, Solvay and Volkswagen, engaged with a wide range of stakeholders to develop a set of practical tools that can be used by other companies and organisations to further develop their own age management strategies. These tools include: Tips for implementing a company policy on ‘Lifelong Wellbeing in the Workplace’ Collection of corporate practices on wellbeing in the workplace for older employees Call for a more harmonized legislative framework to facilitate active age management in the European Union
As a result of the project, the group stressed that demographic change is inevitable, but its adverse impact on employment and competitiveness in Europe can be mitigated. However, turning current demographic trends into a business opportunity and ensuring sustainable social and economic development across Europe requires a shift in attitudes and behaviour towards older employees. To better integrate the ageing population into the European labour market, concerted efforts by all players in society are needed. In particular, the group identified the current lack of a harmonized legislative framework across the European Union as an impediment to successful active age management. All EU Member States have different laws regarding issues such as pensions, retirement age and the possibility for those who have retired early to re-enter the workforce, which makes it challenging for employers who operate across national borders to effectively facilitate the integration and wellbeing of older employees in the workplace. In this respect, the European Union plays a key role in promoting a more harmonized approach towards the recruitment and employability of older citizens. For more information and to download the documents, please visit www.csreurope.org/pages/en/wellbeing_in_the_workplace_for_ageing_employees.html.
For more information, please contact: Marion Birnstill, Membership Services Coordinator, CSR Europe, mb@csreurope.org or +32 2 541 1622 Laura Maanavilja, Communications Manager, CSR Europe, lm@csreurope.org or +32 2 541 1618
About CSR Europe: CSR Europe is the leading European business network for corporate social responsibility (CSR), with around 70 multinational corporations and 27 national partner organisations as members. The organisation was founded in 1995 by senior European business leaders in response to an appeal by the European Commission President Jacques Delors. www.csreurope.org About the CSR Laboratory on Wellbeing for Ageing Employees: The ‘CSR Laboratory’ on Wellbeing for Ageing Employees is one of a series of projects implemented in 2007-2010 by CSR Europe with its corporate members and national partners to address socio-economic challenges by bringing together business practitioners and stakeholder representatives. In addition to wellbeing at work, the projects addressed topics such as Demographic Change, Mainstreaming Diversity and Skills for Employability, among others. The first outcomes of the Laboratories were launched in 2008 as part of CSR Europe’s Toolbox (www.csreurope.org/toolbox). In 2010, CSR Europe will build on their results by launching new collaborative projects as part of its ‘Enterprise 2020’ initiative. Company and stakeholder participants of the Laboratory on Wellbeing for Ageing Employees in 2009-2010 included Johnson & Johnson (project leader), Accor Services, BASF, Danone, Dow, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Randstad, Volkswagen, Business & Society Belgium, the Dublin Foundation, the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion, and Seniorflex. The collection of corporate practices includes initiatives by Danone, IBM Switzerland, Volkswagen, BASF and Dow.
Facts and figures on Europe’s ageing workforce Currently, only around 50% of people in the EU are still in employment by the age of 60.* In the EU, people aged 65+ are set to increase to 30% of the population in 2060 from 17% in 2008. The biggest rise is expected during the period 2015-35 as the baby-boom cohorts retire. By 2060, the EU is estimated to move from having four working-age people (aged 15-64) for every person aged over 65 to a ratio of only 2 to 1.* In global comparison, Europe already has the oldest population, with a median age of nearly 40 years, compared to 29 globally. The median age in Europe is expected to reach 47 years in 2050.** In an EU-wide survey, a majority (56%) of EU citizens agreed that as older people work until a later age, fewer jobs will be available for younger people. At the same time, seven in 10 (70%) EU citizens disagreed that companies that mostly employ young people perform better than those that employ people from different age groups.***
* European Commission: “2009 Ageing Communication: a renewed strategy for tackling Europe’s demographic challenge”, 24 April 2009 ** United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs: “World Population Prospects – The 2008 Revision”, 2009 *** European Commission: “Flash Eurobarometer: Intergenerational solidarity”, April 2009
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