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The European Week for Safety and Health at Work has always held a special place in the Healthy Workplaces Campaign calendar. This year, the launch of the new ’Safe and healthy work in the digital age’ campaign (2023-2025) took place during the week (held from 23 to 27 October), offering a promising start to an exciting journey ahead.

A dynamic launch for the new campaign  

Held annually in October, the European Week offers a unique opportunity for all our partners to engage actively in the campaign and raise awareness of the significance of participative workplace safety and health management. EU Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, attended the launch, shining a spotlight on this campaign's timely and essential theme: Occupational safety and health (OSH) in the digital era. With a higher number and a wider range of events than ever before organised for a campaign’s kick-off, it's evident that the topic holds great importance for our partners.

National launches were organised across Europe by EU-OSHA’s focal points, notably in Greece, Belgium, Finland, Lithuania, or Hungary, bringing together their OSH community. These gatherings aimed to introduce the campaign's objectives, stimulate discussions and planning, facilitate concrete involvement and exchange views.

Diverse range of activities

Several events stood out for their unique approaches and formats to conveying the campaign's message. In Latvia, participants visited a local supermarket that underwent digital transformation, to showcase the impact on workers and benefits for the sector. Sweden broadcasted a series of dedicated videos on topics related to digitalisation at work. In Estonia, activities targeted vocational students, equipping them with key knowledge and tools for the future. Meanwhile, the launch event in Germany discussed how to best harness the benefits of digitalisation and mitigate potential negative effects. Tutela, one of our new media partners in North Macedonia, promoted a collection of poems and short stories 'OSH from a young age', inviting the first-prized students in all 4 categories to read their works in front of the audience. Italy’s media partner Safety Focus organised a theatrical performance, bringing together industry experts, artists and local representatives to raise awareness about workplace safety and health, particularly in construction sites.

Relevance of the campaign’s theme and topics

Some activities addressed various fields, topics and aspects, including specific priority areas. (AI) AI refers to systems that display intelligent behaviour by analysing their environment and taking actions – with some degree of autonomy – to achieve specific goals. AI-based systems can be purely software-based, acting in the virtual world (e.g. voice assistants, image analysis software, search engines, speech and face recognition systems) or AI can be embedded in hardware devices (e.g. advanced robots, autonomous cars, drones or Internet of things applications). ( AI refers to systems that display intelligent behaviour by analysing their environment and taking actions – with some degree of autonomy – to achieve specific goals. AI-based systems can be purely software-based, acting in the virtual world (e.g. voice assistants, image analysis software, search engines, speech and face recognition systems) or AI can be embedded in hardware devices (e.g. advanced robots, autonomous cars, drones or Internet of things applications). ) and Digital platform work is all paid work provided through, on or mediated by an online platform – that is, an online marketplace operating on digital technologies that facilitate the matching of demand for and supply of labour. took the centre stage at Spain’s launch event, while Ireland discussed AI and Robotics, among other priorities. Norway notably explored the long-term impact of Remote work is any type of working arrangement to work from home or – more generally – away from the employer’s premises or in a fixed location. In this context the focus is on remote work enabled by digital technologies (e.g. personal computers, smartphones, laptops, software packages and the internet). , reflecting the changing landscape of work, and Denmark focused on An explicitly defined set of instructions describing how a computer or a human could perform an action, task or procedure or solve a problem. management and ethical considerations. Poland initiated discussions on the future of the industry, and Malta hosted a webinar reflecting also on new risks, including psychosocial issues and musculoskeletal disorders in a digitalised work environment. in a digitalised work environment.

Boosting synergies through partnerships and best practices

Partners' collaboration and information sharing were also central to the success of the week. A tripartite debate in Luxembourg emphasised again the importance of involving all parties to ensure their needs and concerns are addressed. Portugal, on its side, showcased the strength of the campaign network, bringing together official campaign partners, media partners and representatives of the Enterprise Europe Network to discuss campaign objectives and collaborative strategies. Croatia gathered prominent speakers from major companies, ministries and academia, while Bulgaria featured high-level presence, with a minister actively participating in the conference.

The multiplier effect was evident, with numerous events dedicated to sharing case studies. At the Austrian launch event, six participants from companies and institutions were invited to showcase practical examples of applied digital technologies. Spanish media partner rhsaludable asked four pioneering companies to demonstrate how they take advantage of AI technologies to enhance workplace wellbeing, productivity, and safety. This emphasis on best practices serves as a foundation for future reflections and replication.

The European Week marked an exceptional beginning for the ‘Safe and healthy work in the digital age’ campaign. Take a look at all 2023 events! With its diverse range of activities, deep exploration of campaign topics and strong partner engagement, the campaign will continue to raise awareness and drive positive change in the workplace. The stage is set for a promising journey towards safer and healthier work in the digital age!

The new campaign runs until the end of November 2025. Find out more about its origins and objectives, as well as upcoming milestones and how to get involved. You can keep up to date by following #EUhealthyworkplaces on Facebook, X and LinkedIn.