What is sustainability?
In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.@ At the societal level, sustainability is now seen as having three pillars: economic, environmental and social. At the company level, sustainability is measured on three broad dimensions: environmental, social and governance (or ESG).
What does sustainability mean for workers?
Workers' interests in sustainability can be summarised in the phrase "there are no jobs on a dead planet." While environmental measures to mitigate climate change are desperately needed, social measures are also necessary to ensure a "just transition". Training and retraining, job creation, human rights and decent work are crucial issues that need to be addressed in sustainability policy.
What does sustainability mean for worker participation?
Workers have an interest in the long-term sustainabiilty of their companies. Trade unions and workers' representatives can use their information, consultation and participation rights to engage with management on these issues to promote their companies' sustainability. New EU legislation, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), enhance workers' rights on sustainability issues.
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Sustainability legislation and regulation
- European Commission website on sustainability and the European Green Deal
- European Commission. (2019). Communication on The European Green Deal COM/2019/640 final
- Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) - Directive (EU) 2022/2464
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772 as regards sustainability reporting standards
- Directive (EU) 2024/1760 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on corporate sustainability due diligence
- Regulation (EU) 2020/852 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment
ETUC resolutions
- ETUC. (2023). Taxing the wealth for tackling social inequalities and climate change (Adopted). 6 December, Brussels: ETUC.
- ETUC. (2022). ETUC for Sustainable Growth and Social Progress. (Adopted). Executive Committee Meeting, 27-28 October, Brussels: ETUC.
- ETUC. (2021). ETUC Resolution for a More Sustainable and Inclusive Competition Policy (Adopted). 2 March, Brussels: ETUC.
- ETUC. (2020). ETUC resolution on European Green Deal initiatives: Climate Law, EU Sustainable Investment Plan, Just Transition Fund Regulation and new EU Industrial Strategy, 11 June, Brussels: ETUC.
ETUI publications
- ETUI. (2024). Green transition and job quality: risks for worker representation. Technical Brief 2024.02 (Author: Wouter Zwysen), Brussels: ETUI.
- ETUI. (2024). The state of democracy at work in the EU: Institutions at the company level. Benchmarking Working Europe 2023: Europe in Transition - Towards Sustainable Resilience (chapter 5). (Authors: Sara Lafuente, Jane Parker and Sig Vitols), Brussels: ETUI, especially pp. 154-155.
- Arabadjieva, K. and Tomassetti, P. (2024). Towards workers' environmental rights: An analysis of EU labour and environmental law. Working Paper 2024.02, Brussels: ETUI.
- ETUI. (2023). Social sustainability at work and the essential role of occupational safety and health. Benchmarking Working Europe 2023: Europe in Transition - Towards Sustainable Resilience. (Authors: Paula Franklin, Pierre Bérastégui, Aude Cefaliello and Tony Musu), Brussels, ETUI, pp. 121-142.
- ETUI. (2023). Europe in transition and workplace democracy: towards a strong Social Europe? Benchmarking Working Europe 2023: Europe in Transition - Towards Sustainable Resilience (chapter 6). (Author: Jane Parker), Brussels: ETUI, especially pp. 148-151.
- ETUI. (2016). Workers' participation and company sustainability. Benchmarking Working Europe 2016: A social Europe needs workers' participation (chapter 4). Brussels: ETUI, page 68.
- Schomann, I. (2012). ISO 26000: The new face of corporate social responsibility? Policy Brief No. 1, January, Brussels: ETUI.