Project information
SUSTAIN Europe’s workforce. Actionable Knowledge and Training towards a Sustainable European Workforce for Future Health, Well-Being, and Prosperity (SUSTAIN)

BACKGROUND: A quarter of workers in Europe report that their work negatively impacts their health, resulting in over €500 billion in annual cost. Work disability is often caused by cumulative exposures within and outside the workplace over the life course. Key contributors include individual health conditions, workplace environments, and systemic factors such as organizational practices, compensation systems, and legislative frameworks.
CONSORTIUM: To meet these challenges, SUSTAIN brings together a multidisciplinary consortium of leaders in social sciences, economics, health sciences, European organisations, and companies. This innovative collaboration combines extensive expertise and a proven track record to create evidence-based solutions that enhance workforce participation and economic sustainability.
AIM: SUSTAIN aims to train the next generation of workforce researchers capable of leveraging cross-country data and methodologies across diverse scientific fields to produce actionable knowledge that will enhance labour market participation.
APPROACH: SUSTAIN focuses on 3 vulnerable groups: young adults entering the workforce, older workers, and women. Through an integrated research and training programme, we examine how workplace and non-workplace exposures interact, how cumulative life-course exposures contribute to work disability, and how health-related factors and social and political systems influence work disability dynamics.
IMPACT: SUSTAIN will generate knowledge to design innovative interventions and policies that keep vulnerable groups engaged in the workforce. Policymakers will gain tools to enhance the health and well-being of European workers, while employers will be guided on supporting workforce retention. The 15 trained PhD students will be equipped with inter- and transdisciplinary skills to pioneer workforce research and innovation, enabling impactful careers in academia, policymaking, occupational health, and industry.