Driving the Industry 5.0 Transformation

Europe faces a fundamental challenge: being competitive while building sustainable, resilient, and human-centric industry and society, in an era shaped by AI and digital transformation. This book explores Industry 5.0 as a distinctly European response. Leading experts explore how firms, workers, educators, social partners and policymakers can turn its ambitions into practice while navigating opportunities and trade-offs.Bridging research, policy, and practice, this book defines Industry 5.0, identifies the implications for companies and workers, and supports policymaking at every level. Underpinned by research developed through the BRIDGES 5.0 project, it argues that success requires more than technology or skills supply. It depends on new ways of organising work and investing in organisational capabilities, management practices and workforce participation. The book presents potential scenarios for the future of Industry 5.0, explores ways to measure its demands and examines real-world examples of its implementation.Driving the Industry 5.0 Transformation is a vital read for scholars and students in the sociology of work, business and innovation interested in the future of work, skills and European competitiveness. It also equips policymakers, social partners, educators, practitioners, business leaders and regional networks with the knowledge needed to support companies and employees through the transition to Industry 5.0.