Industry 5.0 will strongly impact the production organization models of companies. As stated, at the core of the new industrial production model are human-centric approach, sustainability and resilience.
Towards a human-centric industry
According to the European Commission’s vision, all innovative solutions, if applied correctly, will make workplaces more inclusive and safer for workers. Therefore, when we talk about a human-centric approach, it implies that technology will be used to adapt the production process to the needs of the worker and that the systems and platforms will not interfere with the fundamental rights of workers.
Industry 5.0 therefore places humans at the center of the production model, and this more social and humane aspect ensures that the use of technology does not violate workers’ fundamental rights, such as the right to privacy, autonomy and human dignity.
Resilience: a key aspect for industries
The European Commission report highlights how the ability to adapt to adverse situations arising from external events, such as geopolitical changes and natural events that challenge the stability and solidity of industry, becomes one of the key pillars of the new Industry 5.0.
Industry 5.0 becomes a tool for ensuring resilience, or the ability to resist and adapt to change. Moreover, an industry that is inherently resilient can make an important contribution to the resilience of society by ensuring the continuity of production and employment.
The challenge of sustainability
Sustainable development has long been at the center of European policies, firmly anchored in the Union Treaties. Therefore, Industry 5.0’s focus on this issue is on enabling circular economy and energy efficiency models.
Developing production systems based on renewable energy is one of the requirements promoted with the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 2030. In this regard, the European Commission points out in its paper that industry must be sustainable to meet the Planet’s limits. For this reason, it recommends developing circular processes that reuse and recycle natural resources, reduce waste and minimize environmental impact.
