Care is work, work is care (24 February 2022, Global)

This Report presents the consolidated results of the research undertaken by the Phase 1 of the FOWLS Project.

Care is work, work is care

Will there be work for everyone? Will it be decent and respectful of human dignity? What consequences for jobs and on the economy are we facing as a result of the current environmental and health challenges? Will we be forced to “make do” with more and more precarious jobs?

The future of work is not predetermined or fixed in writing. It is what we, as humankind, want and can build together. Hence, reflecting on the meaning and purpose of work and searching for new avenues is of fundamental importance. The publication of Laudato si’ followed by the celebration of the ILO Centenary offered an opportunity to engage in social discernment, bringing together academic experts, Jesuit social centres, Catholic-inspired Organizations in dialogue with other faith communities and social partners, all involved in the world of work.

Together, we felt inspired by the vision that “Care is work, work is care”. Work is to be at the core of a transformation to respond to the call to “care for our common home”. The journey has been initiated by listening to the voices of the most vulnerable. Experience and social practices are shared; they can be replicated and expanded. It is time to trust the power of imagination and to continue “building global transformative communities” together.