Employment often defines a person’s social and economic well-being, but we are working longer hours and becoming more productive without an equivalent increase in happiness. Are the jobs which pay the most really those that contribute most to our society?

We need to rethink the role of work in our society and consider the type of society we want to live in. The GND promotes quality employment as a means of ensuring well-being, but demands much more far- reaching social reform. The quality of working life is crucial, but it must be coupled with a better work-life balance, increased gender equality and more emphasis on leisure, community participation and family life.

Under the GND, there would be much more to life than just turning up to work and money would no longer be the driving force of our entire society. Greening the economy will of itself stimulate job creation, including in emerging new sectors such as renewable energies, energy efficiency, and an ever-growing “green service” sector.

However, the development of new sectors in a sustainable economy requires investment in adaptation, skills and education. The GND requires education and training to enable people to take advantage of new opportunities, and aims to guarantee access to this for all.

The GND calls, amongst other things, for:

• the setting of benchmarks for minimum income, a guarantee of decent working conditions and a push for improvements in labour rights for all forms of contracts;
• a strengthening of the "lifelong learning" strategies and training to enable workers to move into greener jobs;
• developing and supporting alternative business models such as community, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations;
• a better work-life balance for all.