Ageing and Demographic Change

The Business contribution to Active Ageing - in line with the European Year of Active Ageing 2012

Project manager: Sarah Dekkiche (CSR Europe)

Project leaders: GDF Suez, Intel, AGE Platform Europe


Challenge

The European population is shrinking and ageing at the same time. The number of those older than 55 years is steadily growing, while all younger age groups are shrinking:

  • From 2012 onwards, the European working-age population will start to   shrink while the 60+ age groups will increase by about two million people a year.
  • Eurostat predicts a possible decrease of about 20.8 million (6.8%) people of working age by 2030.
  • According to an internal CSR Europe survey, only 37% of companies find it fairly important to take into account the needs of older consumers when developing products and services directly aimed at them.

To remain sustainably competitive, European companies will have to successfully gear their employment and HR policies to an ageing workforce and to develop innovative products and services for the silver economy.

Objectives

  1. Providing companies with guidelines and methodologies with regards to active ageing on: (a) employment and jobs; (b) products & service development.
  2. Strengthening the dialogue between the European Commission and companies on active ageing.

More information in the attached project plan.

Key activities

After the kick-off of the project in December 2011, four series of webinars as well as two series of workshops are planned throughout 2012:

Deliverables

The collaborative project will give rise to the following deliverables:       

(a)  A practical manual  for HR Managers on optimized age management strategies with a focus on:

  • Work models (i.e. alternative career paths, adapting working environments & conditions),
  • Transfer of skills and competencies,
  • Volunteering and employability (entrepreneurship).

Download the guide 'Rethinking Careers' here

(b)  A practical manual for Product Development /Marketing Managers on inclusive products and services:

  • Understanding the needs and preferences of older consumers by age segment,
  • Developing new and/or adapting existing products and services.

 

Past activities

 

To understand how to get further engaged and for more information, contact Sarah Dekkiche (sd@csreurope.org).