IndustriAll Europe Executive Committee approved a position paper advocating for the transition to Industry 5.0, emphasising its potential benefits and challenges for workers.
Industry 5.0 represents a significant shift from the automation-focused Industry 4.0 to a model that prioritises human-centric approaches. While Industry 4.0 concentrates on enhancing efficiency and productivity through digital technologies, often at the expense of workers’ roles and well-being, Industry 5.0 aims to create an inclusive industrial environment. This new paradigm integrates sustainability, resilience, and human-centricity, ensuring that workers’ rights and quality jobs are at the forefront of industrial policy.
IndustriAll Europe underscores the importance of the ‘human-in-command’ principle, which places human workers at the centre of any industrial process and technological applications. This principle is crucial in preventing job displacement and the intensification of work, common risks associated with digital transformation. Instead, digital technologies should augment human labour, protecting workers from fatigue and maintaining their autonomy and skills.
Currently, European Industrial Policy lacks one key aspect : a social one. IndustriAll Europe has long called for a social dimension to be at the centre of industrial policy. The transition to Industry 5.0 offers an opportunity to embed social aspects at the core of industrial policies, that will ensure that workers are at the centre of the digital and green transition.
For trade unions, Industry 5.0 is both a challenge and an opportunity. New digital technologies do not automatically result in better or worse jobs: the outcomes depend on how these technologies are implemented. IndustriAll Europe stresses the need for robust social dialogue and collective bargaining to ensure that the deployment of new technologies supports good working conditions and fair labour practices.
Industry 5.0 also emphasizes environmental responsibility, advocating for practices that reduce ecological footprints and promote social inclusion. By adopting circular economy principles and enhancing supply chain resilience, Industry 5.0 aims to create sustainable industrial practices that benefit both the environment and society. The sustainability pillar of Industry 5.0 calls for businesses to adopt circular economy principles, due diligence, reducing waste and fostering a regenerative economic model.
While Industry 5.0 offers numerous benefits, it also presents risks: job polarization, wage disparities, and increased surveillance of workers. To ensure that workers benefit from Industry 5.0IndustriAll Europe calls for proactive measures to mitigate these risks, including:
• Ensuring transparency and worker participation in decision-making processes.
• Investing in upskilling and reskilling programs to help workers adapt to new technologies.
• Strengthening collective bargaining structures to address the challenges of digital and green transitions.
As the European Commission moves forward with Industry 5.0 initiatives, IndustriAll Europe’s position paper serves as a crucial reminder of the need to prioritise workers’ rights and well-being. By implementing human-centric, sustainable, and resilient principles into industrial policy, Europe can ensure a just and inclusive transition to a new industrial era.
“Industry 5.0 is not just about technological advancements; it’s about ensuring that workers are at the heart of the challenges and changes that the twin transitions bring changes,” said Judith Kirton-Darling, General Secretary of IndustriAll Europe. “We must adopt a human-centric approach to protect jobs, enhance skills, and promote sustainable practices. Only through robust social dialogue and collective bargaining can we ensure a fair transition for all workers.”