Through the course of 2020, COVID-19 has reshaped our workforces and economies. Work has been paused, lost, shifted online, or delivered at incredible personal risk and sacrifice. The more vulnerable among us have suffered the most, bringing weaknesses in our national and global systems into stark relief.

These weaknesses are not new. The impacts of new technology, growing inequality and climate crisis have been universally felt, but not universally responded to.

At the same time, we have demonstrated an inspiring capacity for change, innovation and compassion – and a shared belief that the future can be better than the past. One point of agreement is clear: we need joined-up thinking and cooperation at a global scale.

The Thinking Ahead on Societal Change (TASC) Platform has been launched as an open forum in International Geneva where policymakers, business and labour, researchers and civil society can come together to tackle some of the biggest challenges of the future.

We invite leaders, experts and practitioners from across the global community to combine forces on this open platform. Your input is crucial to capture lessons from a year of crisis, gain foresight from data, insights and experiences, and seek scalable solutions across sectors and industries as well as nationally and across geographies to achieve the future we want.

With collective thinking and action, we can bring our shared future back in line with our commitment to the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Join us to think ahead towards a thriving global economy and society that works for all.

KRYSTYNA MARTY LANG

State Secretary and head of the directorate of political affairs, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

mARIE LAURE SALLES

director, THe Graduate Institute of international and development studies

guy ryder

director-general, International labour organization