Nearly half of the global workforce is at risk of losing their livelihoods due to COVID-19. Among the most vulnerable are women, minorities and informal workers who are significantly impacted by lockdowns and/or are working in the hardest-hit sectors, as well as youth, who are debt-ridden and reeling from a second global recession in their formative years. 

What drives socio-economic empowerment? What barriers prevent vulnerable people and social groups in Turin from achieving decent work? Which workers are most at risk, and what urgent actions, policies and partnerships are needed to protect them? These and other questions will be addressed at Davos Lab Torino.

We are at an undeniable crossroads for both our economy and society, where we must decide if we will finally prioritize ‘social value’ as we seek economic growth. Recognizing that business shouldn’t be measured solely on profits is not a new notion: triple bottom line approaches have demonstrated to increase long term performance of companies and investment. And yet, to date, the adoption of these practices remains low despite growing awareness. 

As cities shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, internet usage surged with schools and workplaces relying heavily on virtual interactions. However, this shift exposed longstanding digital divides. Today, 3.5 billion people live without internet access thereby unable to work and learn online, thereby making our communities and institutions far less resilient to future shocks and limiting the transformative promises provided by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 

With more than half of the world’s population online, digital and other social media platforms are fundamentally transforming human interactions. While they afford users the chance to connect and create with others like never before, they require digital literacy skills to decipher fact from fiction, develop informed views and not fall prey to polarizing content.

The moral and financial case for climate action continues to inspire major industry and policy shifts. GE recently pledged to exit coal while Beijing committed to carbon neutrality by 2060. Despite this, green investments only account for 1% of the overall 12 trillion pledged by major economies, while cities and institutions (such as universities, pension funds and other actors) continue to invest heavily in fossil fuels, undermining the prospects of a green and just transition. 

Young consumers increasingly focus their purchasing power on sustainability, supporting local businesses and products that respect nature. This trend is pacing in the backdrop of the largest transfer of generational wealth in history that will inevitably lead to even greater consumer power. But this presents a complex collective action problem that many consumers have difficulty understanding, caring for or accessing.

At Davos Lab Torino, we will focus on the opportunities for circular innovation in our city and region.

Policymakers, and the public sector, face their biggest test in generations. Rising income inequality, job displacement by technology-driven innovation in tandem with the coronavirus pandemic and growing socio-economic and racial inequalities, are some of our era-defining moments. Responding poorly to the world’s converging crises strengthens the growing calls globally to transform the future of politics and rebuild government institutions from the ground up.

Public safety consistently ranks as a key priority for city leaders and residents alike. However, violence against women and other minorities has brought the efficacy of such efforts into question. Still, 1 in 3 women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence, and members of the LGBTI community are still targeted. Moreover, global calls to end police brutality against Black communities has amounted to the largest civil rights movement of our generation.

With more than 100 million people affected and countless lives lost, COVID-19 is the biggest threat to public health today. While it has affected nearly every community, it has nevertheless revealed deep-seated inequalities disproportionately impacting historically disadvantaged groups, bringing attention to pre-existing disparities influenced by socioeconomic status, race and culture. The time is now to reset health systems and achieve universal health care.

One in four people will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives and the coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating this reality. Millions of people worldwide are now struggling to cope with the unprecedented uncertainty, loss, grief and isolation associated with the pandemic. Mental health support systems need to be reimagined to ensure all people get the help they need to overcome today’s current global mental health crisis.

Instead of organizing a panel, in Turin we will hold an open discussion about mental health and wellbeing in times of lockdowns.