European Trade Union Institute

What was the challenge?

Research conducted by the European trades union movement had raised the possibility that continuing de-unionisation, coupled with changes in workforce patterns, could lead to a substantial falloff in trades union membership in the medium term.

ETUI wished to understand this in more detail in order to understand and anticipate the future of employment, and the role(s) of trade unions in the future. Understanding how skills, roles and the workforce could develop would secure the future value of trades unions to their members.

How did we approach it?

SAMI delivered a comprehensive foresight and road-mapping project, in conjunction with the Institute for Manufacturing of the University of Cambridge.

A modified Three Horizons approach fed into scenario creation work, illustrated through “Day in the Life” exercises. Rich and vivid scenarios were complimented by the use of illustrations, created on the fly by a SAMI illustrator. Workshops, with representatives from across ETUI from across the business, were conducted virtually, and facilitated throughout by expert SAMI facilitators.

What was the outcome or impact of the work?

The output from the project is published by ETUI as “Strategic Foresight – Using the ETUI future scenarios for 2050 to respond more effectively to future crises”.

The report provides “a rationale for employing foresight for purposes other than high-level policy objectives or innovation. It suggests that strategic foresight should be implemented as a ‘new’ layer in organisational change and in trade union organising strategies.”

ETUI continues to use the foresight and roadmapping work as it continues to change to meet the needs of its members