21 August 2017: The International Labor Organization (ILO) has established a high-level body to examine the relationship between work and society. The Commission on the Future of Work will address how the future of work can deliver decent and sustainable jobs for all, thereby contributing to achieving SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth).

The global body’s examination will seek to provide the analytical basis for the delivery of social justice in the 21st century.

Launched under the ILO’s Future of Work Centenary Initiative, the body will organize its work around four “centenary conversations,” including: work and society; decent jobs for all; the organization of work and production; and the governance of work. In preparation for the Commission’s launch, governments and employer and labor organizations have held a series of dialogues in more than 110 countries. Building on the outcomes of these dialogues, the Commission will produce an independent report for consideration by ILO’s Centenary Conference, which will be held in 2019.

In her address at the launch, Commission Co-Chair Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius, stressed the importance of recognizing that labor is more than a commodity. Co-Chair Stefan Löfven, Prime Minister of Sweden, said the Commission aims to harness innovation to improve lives, use new technology to build cleaner and more sustainable societies, and create jobs with improved conditions for everyone. In an opinion piece, the co-chairs discussed the job-creating potential of shifting to environmental sustainability and a fair and open world trading system. They further emphasized the Commission’s contribution to the SDGs, especially SDG 8.

The Future of Work Centenary Initiative is a series of national dialogues, international events and assessments launched by ILO Director General Guy Ryder in 2013. It aims to provide a better understanding of the forces and trends transforming the world of work, including technology development, impacts of climate change, and the changing character of production and employment. The activities are expected to culminate in a Centenary Declaration to be adopted in 2019, marking ILO’s 100th anniversary.

The Commission’s membership reflects geographical and gender balance, a range of disciplines, and both workers and employers. [ILO Press Release][Global Commission on the Future of Work][Video of the launch event][The Future of Work Centenary Initiative] [Opinion Piece by Co-Chairs] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story Referencing Establishment of Global Commission]