Over the course of two years (2022-2024), SGI Europe supported Employers of Poland in the implementation of the “Social Dialogue in Circular Economy” (SDiCE) project, co-funded by the European Union under the Social Prerogatives and Specific Competencies Lines (SocPL) budget line. The project focused on building the capacity of Employers of Poland, one of the country’s largest employer organisations, to participate effectively in social dialogue on the circular economy, both at national and EU level.
Through the project activities, Employers of Poland aimed to foster stronger alignment between the transition to a circular economy and the role of social partners, in line with the European Green Deal, the New Circular Economy Action Plan, and the strategy for a Stronger Social Europe for Just Transitions. Recognising the critical need to address environmental and regulatory transformations that accelerated in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, the project helped to equip the organization with the tools, knowledge and networks to better support enterprises facing these changes.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the limited capacity of national social partners to engage with fast-evolving EU environmental legislation. For Employers of Poland, this was particularly relevant as many of its members—spanning sectors such as waste management, energy, food production, and household appliances—are significantly impacted by new circular economy regulations. At the same time, many enterprises were eager to embrace the shift towards more sustainable models but lacked guidance and a clear voice in the policymaking process.
To address these challenges, SDiCE combined surveys, expert input, and peer learning formats to strengthen national-level social dialogue and to ensure synergies with EU-level developments through collaboration with SGI Europe. The project also supported policy forecasting to anticipate the needs of the labour market in a post-pandemic context.
SDiCE contributed to raising awareness and improving the technical and strategic capacity of Employers of Poland in the field of circular economy.
Key project activities and outputs included:
The project’s findings have been integrated into ongoing policy consultations and disseminated across Employers of Poland and SGI Europe’s network, helping to inform regulatory discussions and business adaptation strategies.
The SDiCE project significantly enhanced the ability of Employers of Poland to engage in social dialogue on the CE, build internal capacity, and contribute to regulatory developments. It set a precedent for cooperation between national and EU social partners, offering a replicable model for supporting enterprises in the green transition.
The project's final outputs—including a detailed report, policy summary, and outreach materials—continue to inform both national policy and SGI Europe’s work on sustainability and social dialogue.