Promoting Active Ageing and Employability: The Sustainable Working Life Project

A project to tackle the challenge of an ageing workforce 

Many regions across Europe face an ageing population, and the Baltic Sea region is no exception. This brings challenges - a shrinking workforce and additional pressure on social systems. But it also provides the opportunity to benefit from the valuable knowledge and skills of older employees while promoting their continuous development through lifelong learning. The Sustainable Working Life project aimed to achieve exactly this. 

A platform for Skills Development and Transnational Cooperation 

The goals of the BSLF Sustainable Working Life project were to: 

• identify good practices and develop policy recommendations; 

• develop a toolbox for transnational cooperation; 

• build a regional network and connect thematic experts.  

The project formed thematic working groups on working conditions and age management, and job opportunities for an ageing workforce. It brought together representatives from governments, social partners, and academia from seven Baltic Sea countries - Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. 

Workshops were organized to address key topics such as age management, lifelong learning, senior entrepreneurship, and labour mobility. This collaborative approach encouraged the exchange of ideas and good practices. It also helped to raise awareness about these areas and to develop skills to support the process 

Recommendations for Immediate Policy Impact  

The project developed important resources for each Baltic Sea country, including summaries of policies recommendations,These profiles give an overview of how each country helps older people continue their work life. 

The final project report has 94 recommendations. Among others, it suggests giving employers incentives to retain older workers, creating programs to help generations learn from each other, making sure workers have the right to learn throughout their careers. Putting these ideas into action can contribute to a stronger and more diverse workforce in the Baltic Sea region. 

Are you interested in helping create sustainable labour markets in the Baltic Sea Region? Explore the Baltic Sea Labour Forum's website to learn more about available initiatives, resources, and insights.  

Background  

The Baltic Sea Labour Forum (BSLF) is a collaborative platform that began in 2011 as part of the Baltic Sea Labour Network. The BSLF aims to address current labour market challenges and promote regional cooperation. It brings together key Baltic Sea Region labour market actors to address priorities such as labour mobility, demographic challenges, knowledge supply, youth employment, and inclusive labour markets.