Proceedings of 8th European Assembly on telework (Telework2001)

17eWork has also emerged as a key focus in how society is organised, and resources are used.Telework is not just about greater efficiency and productivity – it is increasingly the most effectiveway to stimulate new creativity and more efficient use <strong>of</strong> resources; notably <strong>of</strong>fice space, theenergy resources associated with it, and transport infrastructures.A shift <strong>of</strong> focus towards sustainable development is increasingly important as some <strong>of</strong> the mostdifficult challenges <strong>of</strong> high unemployment appear now to be behind us. Sustainable developmentwill not be easily achieved, even in a knowledge economy dominated by trade in immaterialservices:• Social and economic sustainability will require greater efforts to engage everyonein creative activities; in strong communities that preserve the cultural diversity <strong>of</strong> Europe.• Environmental sustainability will require much greater collective efforts, by both the businesscommunity and governments to improve the efficiency <strong>of</strong> all resource use through betterorganisation <strong>of</strong> work and business.In building on the successes <strong>of</strong> the strategy adopted in Lisbon, The <strong>European</strong> Council in Göteborghas adopted a <strong>European</strong> Strategy for sustainable development and has agreed to integrate it withthe strategy for a knowledge economy. eWork therefore features specifically in the new measuresproposed by the Commission to reverse unsustainable trends in congestion and land-use, as well asin green-house gas emissions.The business community has also taken new initiatives to develop and widen the frameworks forCorporate Social responsibility to flexibility and quality <strong>of</strong> work as well as for environmentalimpact.Work is central to our lives: It is not surprising that its transformation is now central to economic,social and environmental policies. The Summit meetings in Stockholm and in Göteborg havebroadened the Lisbon strategy to encompass the “quality <strong>of</strong> work” and environmental challenges tosustainable development within the transition to a knowledge economy, in a win-win combinationwith higher growth and increased business efficiency.There is a continued need for a wide debate:These assemblies were created in 1994 as an opportunity to bring together business leaders, tradeunions, technology developers, the research community and telework pioneers, with Europe’spolitical leaders – to seek together the best way to realise Europe’s ambitions.This <strong>Assembly</strong> is therefore again about sharing information and building bridges:• bridges between technology development and the life/work balance: addressing particularlythe needs <strong>of</strong> those who currently find it difficult to participate fully in working life –women; older people, those in remote, disadvantaged and rural communities, and the disabled;