The Canadian Labour and Business Centre, for example, is a joint labour and business organization, and they've been putting on seminars looking at workplace issues, particularly work life balance but also aging workforce issues, and bringing together local models.

I just want to highlight the role of innovation, the simple innovations, and we're blessed in Canada to have a group of 70 organizations working together right from the innovation and idea generation end through to the implementation and programming end.

In line with the Commission Communication of 11 March 2003 entitled ‘Innovation policy: updating the Union's approach in the context of the Lisbon strategy’ and in the light of the OECD Oslo Manual, innovation is understood as comprising the renewal and enlargement of a range of products and services and their associated markets; the establishment of new methods of design, production, supply and distribution; the introduction of changes in management, work organisation, and working conditions and skills of the workforce; and covers ...[+++] technological, non-technological and organisational innovation.

Organisational innovation reflects the recognition that new ways of organising work in areas such as workforce management (such as positive action to involve all employees in order to make work organisation a collective resource for innovation), distribution, finance, manufacturing, etc can have a positive influence on competitiveness.

Cooperation project between motor industry enterprises, universities and trade union organisations in the field of vocational training and innovation in work organisation.

ANNEX I RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL AND OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL, of ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF OLDER WORKERS "THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Whereas demographic changes are causing the job situation of older workers to become a matter of concern in most European countries; Whereas those changes will have major economic and social consequences for expenditure to improve the functioning of the job market, the financing of ...[+++]retirement pensions and the balance of the age pyramids within undertakings; Whereas Governments, social partners and undertakings should anticipate those changes by placing emphasis on, for example, part-time work, the adjustment of working conditions and vocational training throughout the working life; Having regard to the action already put in hand by Member States in those areas notably in order to eliminate any obstacles to the employment of older workers; Whereas certain early retirement schemes have resulted in several Member States in instability for older workers who have received compensation under varied and changing schemes, and have led to a loss of know-how in undertakings; whereas abolition of official early-retirement schemes would not stem the spate of ever earlier withdrawals from the job market observed in certain Member States; Whereas many Member States have introduced phased retirement schemes, thereby enabling the changeover by older workers to part-time work to be offset by recruitment of persons in difficulty on the job market and young workers; Whereas the organization of work must take into account productivity requirements; Whereas it is important to take account of the availability of financial resources, national priorities and balances within national systems; Whereas account should be taken of ...