“Care is Work, Work is Care”: towards a Transformative Global Community and a New Commitment to Development

The project “The Future of Work – Work after Laudato si'”, promoted by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), hosted an important international meeting in Rome from May 8-10, 2024, on “Care is Work, Work is Care: Towards Building a Transformative Global Community and Contributing to the Global Development Agenda”. Among the participants, in addition to our involvement as the Antonio Emanuele Augurusa Foundation, were: representatives from the Holy See (State Secretariat, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America), the International Labour Organization, national and regional Episcopal Conferences, religious congregations, Catholic, ecumenical and other faith-based organizations – including the World Council of Churches – as well as representatives from academia and universities, trade unions, workers’ and entrepreneurs’ associations, and other grassroots civil society groups from five continents and numerous countries.

Despite the variety of cultures, experiences, and backgrounds, we discovered common ground: the commitment to social justice and the conviction that every form of work must include the dimension of care. This vision has strengthened over time, particularly with the project “The Future of Work: After Laudato Si'”, launched in 2014. The May meeting was structured in two phases: an initial phase of research and mutual exchange culminating in a final report on the theme of care in work contexts, and a second phase organized into working groups dedicated to sharing concrete experiences.

Private Audience with Pope Francis

On that occasion, Pope Francis emphasized the urgency of shared social discernment to promote a community capable of transforming how we live and work. He called for uniting resources and critically reading the signs of the times while respecting and taking care of the most vulnerable and fragile.

The Pope reminded us that <<work is an act of civil love and that every human relationship, including work relationships, needs care>>.

During that event, our President Francesco Augurusa and his son had the important privilege of being received in a private audience by the Pope, where they reflected together on the richness of diversity and care for others.

Global Concerns and Challenges

During our discussion, strong concerns emerged about the authoritarian drift in many regions of the world, the restriction of democracy, and the growth of racial, ethnic, and religious discrimination.

Through a methodology based on common social discernment (CSD). Influenced by the “see-judge-act” method, we analyzed problems with direct input from participants, seeking concrete responses founded on care for people and the environment.

Five Fundamental Priorities

We identified five strategic, interconnected areas that require a radical transformation in our approach to work:

1. Social Justice and Human Dignity
   Working for a more equitable distribution of wealth and power, with a specific focus on marginalized workers while respecting fundamental workers’ rights regulated by the ILO and international human rights laws. Universal Social Protection is promoted: this involves fighting structural inequalities and violations of fundamental workers’ rights, including freedom of association, ensuring equal opportunities with particular attention to excluded, marginalized people, victims of conflicts, discrimination, and gender-based violence.
2. Decent Work in the Food Supply Chain
   It is urgent to reform the food production and distribution system, protecting those who work in the fields. 40% of agricultural workers live in poverty, and among them, 112 million children work in exploitative conditions. Many people employed in the food supply chain are migrants who are already in vulnerable situations, made worse by exploitative conditions in the fields. It is necessary to overcome crises through the creation of more resilient societies that value sustainable agricultural practices and protect migrant workers, caring for both the planet and people.
3. Protection of Migrants and Their Families
   Migrants and their families are among those who face the greatest difficulties in meeting basic needs. They must have access to fundamental rights such as education, decent work, health, housing, and nutrition. Migration cannot be reduced and managed as a simple “emergency” but must be integrated into the dynamics of globalization, development, and human rights. Work is also considered a tool for integrating migrants, who thus contribute to the common good of society. Furthermore, it is established that the more inclusive and welcoming societies are, the greater the contribution of those who are part of them. It is also fundamental to move beyond stereotypes surrounding people who, by choice or forcibly, leave their country of origin.
4. Decent Work and Extractive Industry
   It is crucial to avoid a new colonialism linked to resource extraction. Although mining activity offers job opportunities, its impact on the territory can be disastrous. Local communities must be protected from negative impacts, and standards must be adopted that integrate environmental sustainability, public health, and workers’ rights.
5. Just Transition and Care for Our Common Home
   A new model of sustainable development is needed that abandons fossil fuels and the current model of “progress” in favor of a more sustainable and inclusive one. Additionally, the introduction of new technologies, such as AI, has different impacts on different types of workers. Planning and implementing measures to ensure these transitions are just and equitable is an invitation to transform the world of work into one capable of caring for our common home.

Actions for the Future:

1. Promote understanding and knowledge, through moments of reflection and targeted research: value and spread the approach of care at work; connect concrete experiences of families, communities, universities, movements, and organizations; involve the religious world, local communities, grassroots groups, unions, and other work realities; inspire our responses to global problems based on the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and ILO standards, including the Decent Work Agenda; propose and implement public policies, practices, and ethical guidelines consistent with ILO Conventions, SDGs, and multilateral agreements.

2. Transform our organizations and communities, to help people through: producing training materials to spread the “care is work” approach among members and partners, with particular attention to vulnerable people; strengthening shared social discernment, in dialogue with other ecclesial and work-related entities; building lasting alliances with other faith-based organizations and with workers’ and employers’ representatives; creating a platform to share, replicate, and value lived experiences.

3. Advocate at All Levels, to promote social justice and decent work, through: active participation in multilateral processes (e.g., ILO Coalition for Global Social Justice, Future Summit, UN Human Rights Council, COP, and 2030 Agenda); supporting voices excluded from decision-making processes, creating broad alliances for transformative global communities; collaborating with civil society, religious entities, and other social change actors; promoting union freedom, collective bargaining, and fair work models, including in settings where the Church and other religious organizations operate; using Jubilee 2025 as an opportunity to reflect on the need to overcome injustices and open spaces for encounter and welcome.

Our Contribution from the Antonio Emanuele Augurusa Foundation to the “Care is Work, Work is Care” Roadmap

The Augurusa Foundation works daily to combat poverty and promote social inclusion through education, innovation, and community development, with particular attention to sustainability, equity, and collaboration. The goal is to build a dignified and prosperous future for everyone, leaving no one behind.

As a Foundation, our enduring work encompasses years of service dedicated to improving the most marginalized segments of society, both in Italy and globally, facilitating access to decent work opportunities. In our pursuit of a fairer and more equitable work landscape, we recognize the imperative to engage a wide range of stakeholders: public institutions, the private sector, non-profit entities, and ecclesiastical organizations to unite at various levels of collaboration, from direct aid provision to revisiting our political and economic paradigms.

This holistic approach is at the heart of our activities through the Virtus Lab model, where we adopt a dual strategy operating at both micro and macro levels. Here lies the transformative potential of multi-stakeholder and cross-sector partnerships. As a partner of an important association of Catholic business leaders (UCID), we believe in the role that the private sector can play in charting new paths toward decent employment. While systemic change may require considerable time and coordinated advocacy action, social entrepreneurs possess the ability to catalyze innovative models that exemplify a fairer and more equitable world of work by forging synergistic alliances with the public sector and the third sector.

An example of this fruitful collaboration between different actors is the recent signing of the Pact for Decent Work and Sustainable Development. Promoted by the Augurusa Foundation, this event brought together representatives from government agencies, business associations, trade unions, academic institutions, ecclesiastical organizations, and civil society to address the challenges of unemployment, skills mismatch, and economic inequality.

Navigating the Intersection: Migration, Work, and Human Dignity

It is essential to recognize the deep and structural connection between migration and work. Migration issues can no longer be addressed exclusively as emergencies or crises to be managed. It’s time to move beyond this limited vision and adopt a broader approach, capable of taking into account globalization, integral human development processes, and contemporary socio-political dynamics.

Only by shifting focus from crisis management to a more holistic and systemic understanding of migration will it be possible to develop effective and lasting responses capable of addressing the true root causes of migration.

In this context, we believe it is essential to promote cross-sector collaboration, where non-profit organizations have a central role not only as operational actors but also as facilitators in decision-making processes and project implementation. In parallel, responsible involvement of the business and financial sector can strengthen the effectiveness of services and initiatives supporting migrants.

Through a synergy of skills, resources, and experiences, we can build paths of authentic welcome, inclusion, and support, capable of accompanying migrants in building a new life within their host communities.

Furthermore, we will support the development of international agreements that recognize migrants’ rights and needs. A Convention or Protocol between national and international institutions, together with religious institutions, can provide a framework for protecting the rights of migrant workers and asylum seekers, ensuring their freedom to practice their faith and access essential services.

Our Vision for the “The Future of Work after Laudato Sì” Consultation

Our perspective on the “The Future of Work after Laudato Sì” consultation is to present a practical and implementable plan to promote the principle “Care is Work, work is care,” both through advocacy and through the development of new concrete paths toward decent employment.

Central to our proposal is the Virtus Lab model, already tested and recognized as a powerful catalyst for positive social change, significantly impacting various communities and territories, including migrant communities.

This model can be applied in addressing the urgent issues of skills gaps and unemployment. Through strategic partnerships and innovative initiatives, it aims to promote inclusive growth and drive positive change on a global scale across various dimensions.

Virtus Lab effectively addresses issues related to unemployment, economic stagnation, poverty, and social exclusion of the most vulnerable social groups:

-Addresses the skills gap: provides training opportunities and guidance to reduce the mismatch between skills supply and demand prevalent in many regions; the model can serve as an absolutely necessary bridge between employers and job seekers. By offering retraining and professional development programs, Virtus Lab enables people to enter the labor market and contribute to local economic development.

-Creates new employment: the Virtus Lab model also has the potential to facilitate the creation of new job opportunities, particularly in fragile and economically disadvantaged regions. By promoting entrepreneurship and supporting the development of new business initiatives, Virtus Lab thus stimulates the economic growth of the territory where it operates.

In conclusion, the Virtus Lab model therefore offers comprehensive training, employment, and guidance opportunities to support migrants at 360 degrees to promote their full social and work integration.