Narrative Report of the FOWLS Project (21 April 2022, Global)

This Project Narrative Report presents the summary of the key achievements and lessons learnt for the three outcomes of the Phase 1 of the FOWLS Project.

Project Narrative Report of the FOWLS Project

The aim of this narrative report is to take a step back and review the results achieved in light of the context in which the “The Future of Work – Labour after Laudato si’” Project (FOWLS) itself was developed. This narrative is not the duplication of the outcome report, “Care is work, work is care”, the published version of which was launched in December 2020, and which focused mainly on the second research-oriented Outcome of the Project. In this Project Narrative Report, we will not attempt to replicate the numerous communication materials that were sent as part of the Project outreach. This report aims at presenting an integrative view of the three outcomes and their respective achievements for the overall Project. For this reason, each section focuses on the summary of key achievements and lessons learnt for each Project outcome. We also see it as very important to present benefit from the route travelled since we strongly believe that the journey toward a greater contribution of the world of work toward the promotion of integral human development remains at its beginning. Thus, many more and deeper initiatives will be required, especially in view of what we are facing today as a result of accelerating global warming, with its many negative consequences, and of the continuing spread of the COVID-19 virus, as well as predictions of future pandemics and other global health emergencies, with their related socio-economic impacts.

This report is divided into five steps, drawing from the presentation of the original Project proposal as well as the outcome report referenced above. It recalls the point of departure as well as the context in which the Project was developed. It then aims to take stock of two major achievements: the formulation of a common vision, as well as the progressive development of a common methodology. This first section, in a sense, corresponds to the vision as it was delineated through Outcome 2 (the development of reflection and research capacity on labour after Laudato si’). Then, the report reviews the achievements of Outcome 1 (related to the development of networks) and Outcome 3 (related to the reinforcement of capacities), both mutually supportive and essential to the achievement of the primary research-oriented Outcome.

The point of departure remains quite vivid: in a nutshell, within the context of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato si’, we identified our common home as facing an environmental crisis, a peace and security challenge, issues related to migrant and refugee movements, as well as a turning point for the world of work when adjusting to robotisation, new technologies and artificial intelligence, and an urgent need for the future of work to include decent and dignified work conditions with fair and just compensation, not just for the worker but for her/his entire family. Hence the leading question was: one crisis or four crises? The publication of Laudato si’ as well as the celebration of the Centenary of the International Labour Organization (ILO), were opportunities to engage in a common journey. The need of this common undertaking became more essential as global warming intensified and the COVID-19 pandemic reached many communities and impacted the world of work and countless more socio-economic processes.

The two main achievements of the Project are presented in the next section. The title of the outcome report says it all: “Care is work, work is care”. To better link the four crises and propose a horizon, the anthropological foundation of work required revisiting in order to offer a vision, as well as to provide elements for a critical analysis of the current situation of the world of work and the criteria to arrive at discernment for possible transformation. This calls for practical engagements in three areas: the reaffirmation of the centrality of work in the transition toward more socially and environmentally sustainable societies while protecting the most vulnerable persons; the promotion of forms of work and amplification of forms of work which are more caring; lastly, the continuous engagement in reflection and action to identify old and new challenges for social and environmental justice in the world of work with the view to establish a common diagnosis.

This is possible through the engagement toward common social discernment, an essential approach for the Church as a community, in its synodal form, to become actively part of the social transformation. Common social discernment is the continuous search for greater cooperation with a caring and working God. It enables the common reading of the sign of the times and borrows from the many traditions connected to the world of work. It is not a management tool, but a common journey, with its ups and downs, consolations, and desolations.

These two achievements were made possible through, or because of, the establishment of an important network (Outcome 1) that can be represented in three concentric circles. At the center, there is a core group, essential in the development and the decision-making process of the Project. It was supported and complemented by a group of friends, or allies with common values and priorities. Finally, the project activities benefitted from wide contributions from a global and local outreach.

Moreover, the capacity-building outcome (Outcome 3) was designed to address the specific needs of each respective subset of partners in the Project who were not directly involved in the implementation of a research track. The baseline, therefore, was related to the needs and plans of each group. In the future, it will be necessary to fully align the objectives of capacity-building and the objectives of the Project (both in terms of concepts and methodology), and to better integrate the capacity-building activities with the overall project activities.

To continue the journey, the “Care is work, work is care” report proposed to work toward the establishment of a global transformative community. The present crisis cannot be addressed through incremental adjustments according to the way the economy works but requires a radical transformation. Bringing this about requires alternative approaches and building transformative global communities to implement them. In this regard, we found that many actors already are on their way.

We believe, therefore, that our responsibility is to continue engagement in this direction in order respond positively to Pope Francis call expressed during his address to the ILO:

“Work that does not take care, that destroys Creation, that endangers the survival of future generations, does not respect the dignity of workers, and cannot be considered decent. On the contrary, work that cares, that contributes to the restoration of full human dignity, will help to ensure a sustainable future for future generations … And this dimension of care involves, first and foremost, the workers.”