The Association of Employers of Slovenia has been awarded the project “Strengthening Social Dialogue for the Digital and Green Transition - GREEN-DIGI” under the European Commission’s Social Prerogatives and Specific Competencies Lines (SocPL) call. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of social partners to participate effectively in managing the green and digital transitions of the economy and labour market.

The project, which will be implemented from 1 March 2026 to 29 February 2028, will contribute to strengthening social dialogue in response to changes related to the green and digital transitions and to enhancing the capacity of social partners to participate more effectively in the development and implementation of policies in this field.

The project is based on the premise that the green and digital transitions are significantly changing how work is organised, how companies operate, the demand for new skills, and labour market relations. Social partners play a key role in this process, but they often lack sufficient capacity, data, and practical tools to participate effectively in policymaking and collective bargaining.

CHALLENGES

In recent years, the European economy and labour market have been undergoing two major and interconnected transformations: the green and digital transitions. Companies need to adapt to the requirements of sustainable business practices, reducing their environmental impact and transitioning towards a climate-neutral economy, while at the same time rapidly adopting digital technologies, automation, artificial intelligence, and new forms of work organisation. These processes have a significant impact on jobs, employees’ skills and competences, work organisation, and employment relations.

The green and digital transitions offer numerous opportunities for economic development, innovation, and increased business competitiveness. At the same time, however, they also create significant challenges for employers, employees, and social partners. Many companies face shortages of appropriately skilled workers and competences, while employees face uncertainty regarding changes to their jobs, new skills requirements, and the need to adapt to new technologies and ways of working.

The challenges are particularly pronounced in the following areas:

• shortages of appropriate skills and qualified workers,
• the need for reskilling and lifelong learning,
• adapting collective agreements to new forms of work,
• occupational safety and health issues,
• the impact of digitalisation on employment relations,
• the need for a fair and inclusive transition for both employers and workers.

At the same time, social partners often face a lack of expert evidence, data, practical tools, and institutional capacity needed to participate effectively in managing these changes. Traditional models of social dialogue and collective bargaining are often not sufficiently adapted to the new challenges brought about by digitalisation and the green transition, creating a need for new approaches, skills, and forms of cooperation.

The GREEN-DIGI project directly responds to the need to strengthen the role of social partners in managing the green and digital transitions. Its objective is to provide social partners with the knowledge, analytical evidence, and practical tools that will enable them to participate more effectively in policymaking, collective bargaining, and the development of solutions addressing future labour market changes.

Within the project, the partners will analyse the impact of the green and digital transitions on companies and workers, assess the needs of social partners, and identify key challenges related to employment relations, skills, and work organisation. The project will also facilitate the exchange of good practices among EU Member States and strengthen international cooperation between employers’ organisations and trade unions.

An important part of the project will also be dedicated to developing concrete recommendations, guidelines, and practical tools for social dialogue and collective bargaining in the context of the green and digital transitions. The project will contribute to a better understanding of labour market changes and support social partners in developing inclusive, fair, and sustainable solutions that will enable companies and workers to adapt successfully to future challenges.

GREEN-DIGI therefore addresses the need for stronger, more modern, and more inclusive social dialogue that is capable of responding effectively to the challenges of the future of work and contributing to a sustainable and competitive European economy.

MAIN PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The main objective of the GREEN-DIGI project is to strengthen the institutional and professional capacities of social partners to effectively manage the green and digital transitions.

The project will specifically focus on:

• strengthening social dialogue at the national and European level,
• improving cooperation between employers and trade unions,
• developing the knowledge and competences of social partners,
• preparing recommendations for collective bargaining,
• supporting an inclusive and fair transition,
• increasing the involvement of social partners in the development of EU and national policies.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
The GREEN-DIGI project will achieve its objectives through several interconnected phases, enabling the partners to take a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges of the green and digital transitions. In the first phase, the project will focus on researching the impact of these transformations on the labour market, companies, and social dialogue. The partners will prepare analyses of the current situation and key trends, conduct focus groups, and carry out a survey among companies to identify the main challenges and needs of social partners in the areas of digitalisation, the sustainable transition, work organisation, and skills development.

Based on the findings of the research phase, the project will then focus on strengthening the capacities of social partners and promoting international cooperation and knowledge exchange. The partners will organise international study visits, workshops, and training activities, where they will exchange good practices and acquire new knowledge and experience for more effective management of labour market changes. Particular emphasis will be placed on mutual learning between employers’ organisations and trade unions, as well as on the development of modern approaches to social dialogue and collective bargaining.

In the final phase of the project, the partners will develop concrete outputs and practical tools to support social partners and policymakers. These will include guidelines for collective bargaining, recommendations for more effective social dialogue, and practical tools for employers and trade unions in managing the green and digital transitions. The project will also develop recommendations for policymakers at the national and European level, aimed at contributing to a more inclusive, fair, and sustainable management of labour market transformations.

The project results will be presented at national and international events and disseminated through online and other communication channels. In this way, the project will contribute to knowledge sharing, awareness raising, and the long-term impact of its results among social partners and the wider professional community.

PROJECT RESULTS

The GREEN-DIGI project will contribute to:

• stronger social dialogue,
• greater preparedness of social partners for the green and digital transitions,
• improved cooperation between employers and trade unions,
• a better understanding of the impact of the transitions on the labour market,
• the development of new skills and competences,
• the development of concrete recommendations for policymaking and collective bargaining.

Key project outputs will include:

• research reports,
• analysis of companies’ needs,
• recommendations for social dialogue,
• guidelines for collective bargaining,
• handbooks and practical tools,
• workshops and conference events,
• strengthened capacities of social partners.

PROJECT WORK PACKAGES

Work Package 1: Project Management and Coordination

The first work package is dedicated to the overall management and coordination of the GREEN-DIGI project throughout its implementation period. Within this work package, the partners will ensure the effective organisation of work, coordination of project activities, and monitoring of progress towards the established objectives. Particular emphasis will be placed on high-quality cooperation among international partners, the timely implementation of activities, and ensuring the project’s compliance with the requirements of the European Commission.

As the project involves different social partner organisations from several EU Member States, effective coordination is essential for the successful implementation of all activities. This work package will provide stable organisational and administrative support for the project and enable regular monitoring of progress and the quality of results. Within the work package, the partners will hold coordination meetings, prepare progress reports, and monitor the financial and substantive implementation of the project. The result of this work package will be an effectively managed and well-coordinated project, ensuring the high-quality implementation of all other activities and the timely achievement of project results.

Work Package 2: State-of-Play Analysis on the Challenges of Twin Transition

The second work package focuses on examining the impact of the green and digital transitions on the labour market, companies, workers, and social dialogue. Its purpose is to develop an in-depth understanding of the challenges, needs, and opportunities arising from digitalisation and the transition towards a climate-neutral economy.

Activities will include the preparation of initial state-of-play analyses, surveys among companies, the organisation of focus groups, and the collection of data and examples of good practices from the partner countries. Particular attention will be paid to identifying changes in work organisation, emerging skills needs, the impact of new technologies on employment relations, and the role of social partners in managing these changes. This work package will provide an important evidence base for all subsequent project activities. The research findings will support the development of targeted recommendations, guidelines, and practical tools that respond to the actual needs of companies, workers, and social partners.

The results of this work package will include analytical reports, a survey among companies, an overview of the key challenges and needs of social partners, and a collection of good practices related to the green and digital transitions across all participating countries. These findings will be consolidated into a comparative report, which will constitute the final output of the work package.

Work Package 3: Guidelines and Common Recommendations of Social Partners

The third work package is dedicated to developing concrete project outputs that will support social partners, companies, and policymakers in managing the green and digital transitions more effectively. Based on the findings of the research activities and capacity-building activities, the partners will develop practical recommendations and tools to support social dialogue and collective bargaining.

The work package will focus on developing guidelines for collective bargaining, recommendations for managing workplace changes, and policy recommendations at the national and European level. Particular attention will be given to adapting working environments to new technologies, emerging skills needs, the fair transition, and the involvement of workers in change processes.

The main added value of this work package lies in translating project findings into concrete and practical outputs that social partners will be able to use directly in their work.
The recommendations will aim to contribute to a better understanding of the impacts of the green and digital transitions and to promote the development of policies that support economic competitiveness, quality jobs, and effective social dialogue. The outputs of the work package will include guidelines for collective bargaining, recommendations for social dialogue, handbooks, and practical tools for managing the green and digital transitions.

Work Package 4: Capacity Building and Dissemination

The fourth work package is dedicated to strengthening the capacity and resilience of social partners to participate more effectively in the development and implementation of new approaches, policies, and procedures in the field of social dialogue during the green and digital transitions. The work package is based on the understanding that social partners will play a key role in adapting labour markets to the changes brought about by digitalisation and the transition towards a climate-neutral economy. To fulfil this role effectively, they need appropriate knowledge, information, international experience, and practical tools.

Within this work package, the partners will carry out a range of activities aimed at raising awareness and strengthening knowledge of European initiatives and policies related to the green and digital transitions, as well as the importance of involving social partners in the development of national and European policies. Particular attention will be paid to understanding the impact of the twin transition on the labour market, the needs of companies and workers, and the role of social dialogue in ensuring a resilient, inclusive, and adaptable labour market.

An important part of the activities will focus on international knowledge exchange and the sharing of good practices among the project partners. The project will organise two study visits, in Brussels and Oslo, where the partners will explore examples of successful practices in social dialogue, labour market adaptation, and the involvement of social partners in policymaking at European and national levels. The study visits will enable direct exchange of experience between employers’ organisations, trade unions, and other relevant stakeholders and contribute to the development of new approaches and solutions for more effective management of the green and digital transitions.

In addition to the international activities, national thematic events, workshops, and expert meetings will be organised in all partner countries for representatives of social partners, employers, institutions, and other labour market stakeholders. These events will provide a platform for discussing the key challenges and opportunities arising from the green and digital transitions, presenting research findings and good practices, and promoting dialogue among different stakeholders. The activities will contribute to a better understanding of labour market changes and strengthen cooperation between social partners in developing inclusive solutions.

The work package also includes extensive communication and dissemination activities aimed at ensuring broad accessibility of the project results and increasing awareness of the importance of social dialogue in managing the green and digital transitions. The partners will prepare communication materials, publish project news and results, organise presentations, and disseminate project content through websites, social media, publications, and other communication channels.

Through all these activities, the project will promote the exchange of information, good practices, and innovative solutions that will contribute to a better alignment of labour market supply and demand and strengthen the resilience of social partners and the labour market to future changes. The results of this work package will include strengthened capacities of social partners, increased awareness of European initiatives and policies, completed international study visits, national events and workshops in the partner countries, and broad dissemination of project results, recommendations, and good practices for more effective management of the green and digital transitions.

PROJECT PARTNERSHIP

Employers’ Organisations:
ZDS - Association of Employers of Slovenia (lead partner and project coordinator)
BIA - Bulgarian Industrial Association - Union of the Bulgarian Business (Bulgaria)
MGYOSZ - BusinessHungary (Hungary)
RUZ - Slovak Employers’ Federation (Slovakia)

Trade union:
ZSSS – Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia (Slovenia)

Research Organisation:
University of Ljubljana - School of Economics and Business and Faculty of Public Administration (Slovenia)

Associated Partner:
BusinessEurope (Brussels, Belgium)

Co-funded by the European Union.

Project GREEN-DIGI is co-funded by the European Union, GA: 101262640. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.