“The Future of Work – Labour after Laudato Si’” (FOWLS)

This Project began in 2016 and this was a time when, in public discourse and discussions at international gatherings, concerns were voiced about the urgent challenges of the environmental and climate change crisis, the anxiously anticipated impact of technological change, widespread rising inequality and the challenges of human mobility associated with work. We expected this to affect the well-being of all humankind as well as our relationship with the natural environment.

Two major events constituted the Project’s background and explain its practical design: preparatory work for and celebration of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Centenary in 2019 and the publication of Laudato Si’ in 2015, along with what this Encyclical set into motion in and outside the Church.

“The Future of Work – Labour after Laudato Si’” (FOWLS) Project is an initiative hosted by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC).

The Project aimed to contribute to nothing less than a “rethinking” of work and this overarching goal explained the structure of the Phase 1 of the Project in which research, action and formation were articulated, aiming at three outcomes:

Outcome 1: to build a global ecclesial network involving other faith-based actors as well as social partners to share knowledge and experiences on the future of work.

• Output 1: A series of consultation at regional level is engaged with the support of local, regional and global institutions, organisations and movements to define regional priorities. Social partners and other faith denominations were invited in order to strengthen exchange and development cooperation.
• Output 2: Coordination between the activities and communication between the members of network is provided so as to ensure mutual reinforcement of the consultations, knowledge and information sharing among members of the network.

Outcome 2: to conduct research and develop critical skills in order to contribute to the debate on the future of work, with Laudato Si’ as a source of inspiration.

• Output 1: Seven parallel research tracks were developed in order to gather evidence of the impact on the world of work, possible creative and innovative solutions to address some of the main crises (a presentation of the organizations in charge of each of them and a list of related publications and dissemination activities can be found at the Appendix A of the “Care is work, work is care” Report). The method of reflection/research included surveys, exposure and excursions, mapping, analytical presentation of the data and consultations, conference and online discussions, together with the production of research paper.
• Output 2: Research and reflection were coordinated across the research tracks, participants are taking advantages of other initiatives and able to support their findings by the findings of others.

Outcome 3: to develop the capacity of our network partners to raise awareness, develop proposals and implement public advocacy on the issue of the future of work within the Laudato Si’ framework.

• Output 1: Members of the network had access to a global cloud database that included materials relevant for the three outcomes of the network: 1. Statements, roadmaps, commitments and other reports supporting the consultations processes; 2. Research papers, survey and other materials produced and exchanged; 3. Pedagogical materials, videos, presentations, produced; and 4. All published materials under the project.
• Output 2: Academia, business and civil society were engaged together in the promotion of integral human development and decent work in the context of Laudato Sì.
• Output 3: Leadership of Christian movements had greater capacities to engage together in the promotion of the integral human development, decent work in the context of Laudato Sì, within Churches and communities as well as through advocacy.
• Output 4: Strengthening the Capacity of Caritas Member Organizations (CI MOs) to Promote Decent Working Conditions for All.

Having set its sights on these outcomes, the Project organized different kinds of activities including research investigations, knowledge-exchange seminars and conferences and capacity-building programs.

A detailed presentation of the main results, lessons learnt, achievements for each of these three Outcomes, and a timeline with the major accomplishments of the Project between 2016 and 2021 can be found in a comprehensive called Project Narrative Report published in 2022.

What the journey of the Phase 1 of “The Future of Work – Labour after Laudato Si’” Project allowed us to reaffirm with greater awareness is the centrality of work and the need for transformation.

This transformation can be driven by one of the main conclusions of the Project proposing a vision indicating that “Care is work, work is care” which offers the horizon within which the processes of discernment and dialogue needed to identify concrete steps to be taken and to build alliances with other actors towards integral human development.

The “Care is work, work is care” Report consolidates the main findings of Phase 1 and proposes as a way forward, the development of a global transformative community as an approach that would enable the Church and its organizations to take on an important role toward promoting work as care in a transition toward more socially and environmentally sustainable societies.

The latest rationale founds the pillars and the general objective of the Phase 2 of the FOWLS Project.