Labour Market, Skills & Social Affairs
Rapid technological, economic, and demographic changes are reshaping the labour market, creating new challenges as well as significant opportunities for businesses, workers, and policymakers. Strengthening productivity, competitiveness, and social cohesion requires a modern labour environment, investment in skills, and a stronger alignment between education, training, and the needs of the economy.
SEV supports the development of a competitive and inclusive labour relations framework that promotes the creation of quality, sustainable, and well-paid jobs, while respecting labour rights, occupational health and safety, and the principles of social dialogue and free collective bargaining.
At the same time, SEV promotes policies and initiatives aimed at developing the knowledge and skills required for the digital and green transition, with a strong emphasis on lifelong learning, reskilling and upskilling, closer cooperation between businesses, educational institutions and training providers, and the creation of a modern and reliable skills and employment ecosystem.
As an institutional social partner, SEV actively participates in public dialogue and policymaking on labour market, education, training, and employment issues, contributing to a productive, resilient, and human-centric growth model.
- Modern and competitive labour relations framework: Modernization, simplification, and codification of labour legislation to align with contemporary European and international practices, enhancing competitiveness, adaptability, and legal certainty in the labour market.
- Sustainable tax and social security framework for employment and entrepreneurship: Reduction of non-wage labour costs, fair taxation of salaried employment, and the establishment of a balanced tax and social security framework that supports lawful employment, competitiveness, and the creation of quality jobs.
- Modern work organization and effective labour market governance: Development of a modern regulatory framework that addresses the impact of technological progress, the digital transition, and demographic changes, while enhancing flexibility and adaptability in work organization and promoting the digital transformation of the labour market, with the aim of reducing bureaucracy and tackling undeclared work.
- Enhanced social dialogue and free collective bargaining: Strengthening meaningful and open social dialogue that contributes to balanced wage-setting and labour frameworks, supports competitiveness, and promotes social cohesion and labour peace.
- Safe and healthy working environment: Promoting a modern prevention culture and a systematic approach to Occupational Health & Safety management, with emphasis on education, the use of new technologies, and the creation of safe and healthy workplaces.
- Skills development and lifelong learning: Strengthening the knowledge and skills of the workforce through modern education, training, reskilling, and upskilling systems, ensuring alignment with the needs of the digital and green transition and the modern economy.
- Inclusion, equal opportunities, and youth employability: Promoting an inclusive labour market with equal opportunities for access and professional development for all, while strengthening the connection between education, entrepreneurship, and employment, particularly for young people.
- Collective bargaining and social dialogue: SEV participates in collective labour agreement negotiations at national level (National General Collective Labour Agreement), sectoral level, and supports the development of company-level agreements. In parallel, SEV contributes positions and proposals to the process for determining the statutory minimum wage, taking into account the needs and capacities of member companies. SEV also actively participates in institutionalized tripartite consultation bodies and social dialogue mechanisms to promote balanced and mutually beneficial labour market policies.
- Policy advocacy and international representation: SEV participates in European and international organizations, bodies, and committees, contributing to international cooperation while providing members with access to information, networking opportunities, and insights into European and global labour market developments. At national level, SEV develops positions, proposals, and interventions on labour market reforms and planned initiatives of the Ministry of Labour.
- Support for businesses and human capital development: SEV designs and implements initiatives supporting companies in areas such as labour relations, social dialogue, Occupational Health & Safety, social security, and workforce management. Through workshops, events, and information sessions, SEV helps businesses navigate regulatory changes and adapt to the evolving world of work.
- Skills4Jobs: Comprehensive initiatives focused on developing knowledge and skills in technical education professions and specialties, based on business needs. The initiative aims to support young graduates in their transition into the labour market while helping businesses access talent with the right skills.
- SEV – Alba educational initiative “Learning Alliance”: In collaboration with Alba Graduate Business School, SEV implements a broad range of educational initiatives focused on knowledge, skills, and leadership development for employees of member companies. These include scholarships for postgraduate programs (covering 50% of tuition fees), free seminars on managerial and organizational skills, AI Bootcamps introducing businesses and executives to Artificial Intelligence applications, and knowledge-sharing events through the SEV Center of Excellence in Creative Leadership.
- New specialties in Schools of Higher Vocational Training (SAEKs): SEV collaborates with sectoral industry representatives in designing curricula for new specialties aimed at addressing growing demand for specialized human capital across industrial sectors.
- Applied specialization training: Leveraging the curriculum framework of SAEK specialties, SEV organizes specialized lectures delivered by business executives, directly linked to each field of study, within the course “Applied Specialization Training.”
- Promoting inclusion and equality in the workplace: SEV actively contributes to improving the institutional framework for equal access and participation in the labour market and supports the development of modern inclusion and equality policies. At the same time, it organizes awareness, support, and guidance initiatives to help businesses adopt practices that strengthen the employment of underrepresented groups.
- Junior Achievement Greece: SEV supports the work of Junior Achievement Greece, which promotes entrepreneurial education and familiarizes young people with the principles and values of entrepreneurship. In addition, SEV provides a five-year sponsorship (2024–2029), in memory of Odysseas Kyriakopoulos – founder of the organization and former SEV Chairman – supporting the “Virtual Enterprise” program offered free of charge to schools across Greece.
- Industry4Youth: The initiative aims to connect students and university undergraduates in industry-related fields with real workplace environments at an early stage. To this end, SEV organizes company visits involving students from SAEKs – including SAEKs for Persons with Disabilities – as well as higher education institutions.
- Labour Affairs Committee: The Committee brings together Human Resources Directors from SEV member companies. It serves as SEV’s strategic body for shaping positions on labour relations, collective bargaining, and social dialogue. The Committee focuses on proposals and initiatives aimed at fostering a competitive labour environment, improving productivity, enhancing labour market governance, promoting free collective bargaining, and supporting a fair tax and social security framework.
- Health & Safety Committee: The Committee includes Directors and experienced executives from the Health & Safety departments of SEV member companies. It develops policy proposals for the establishment of a modern and effective framework for Occupational Health & Safety, the prevention of occupational risks, and the effective integration of modern technologies into the field of Health & Safety.
- Labour Law Experts Group (ad hoc Working Group): The Group consists of legal advisors on labour issues and labour law attorneys who collaborate with member companies of SEV’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Its purpose is to provide ad hoc input and facilitate the exchange of views on critical legislative initiatives related to labour matters.
- Human Capital Affairs Committee: The Committee’s objectives include identifying and addressing business needs in knowledge and skills, strengthening the link between Initial and Continuing Vocational Education and Training and entrepreneurship, developing a national skills and professions ecosystem, and modernizing general education to support the transition to a modern Knowledge Economy.
- Inclusion & Equality Committee: The Committee promotes initiatives that strengthen inclusion and equality in the workplace, as well as the accessibility and sustainability of employment for underrepresented groups, with a focus on three main thematic areas: Persons with Disabilities, Age Discrimination, and Women.
- Ad hoc Working Groups, workshops, and events dedicated to the development of positions and proposals on skills issues (both transversal and vocational), education and training policies and systems, and employment promotion initiatives, including Initial and Continuing Vocational Education and Training, apprenticeships, internships, and programs and initiatives implemented by DYPA.
- Advisory and consultative bodies established by the State in the context of designing and implementing education and employment policies (e.g. Regional Councils for Linking Vocational Education and Training with Production and the Labour Market).
