World Employment Confederation’s 59th Annual Conference to Address Critical Global Labour Market Concerns

Taking place on 12-13 May in Toronto and entitled ‘Grow With Talent’, this year’s World Employment Conference – co-organised with ACSESS – arrives at a time of profound economic uncertainty. This gathering of leaders and experts will help define the path forward for the global labour market and set the stage for discussions at the 114^th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) in June.

Bettina Schaller, President of World Employment Confederation (WEC) says: “The question at the heart of this year’s World Employment Conference is: how will we mobilise the world’s talent to drive growth in an era of disruption?At a time of accelerating AI adoption, rapid demographic change and an uncertain global economic outlook, pressure on labour markets is intensifying. The issue is no longer simply shortages, but how effectively talent is developed, deployed and matched to where it is needed most.”

As advocates for the private employment services industry, WEC brings together policymakers and business leaders with direct insight into the labour market challenges, from global economic outlook and policy frameworks, to the practical realities of running businesses and connecting people to work.

Now in its 59th year, WEC’s Annual Conference has become a key forum for understanding how labour markets are evolving — and what it will take to make them work better.

This year’s conference features an impressive programme of speakers including:

• Jonas Prising, Chairman & CEOof ManpowerGroup, on how employers are responding to talent shortages and shifting workforce demand
• Mark Pearson, Acting Director for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, on the outlook for labour markets and the growing imbalance between skills supply and demand
• Mary Seery Kearney, Author and Specialist in Employment, AI, Privacy, Corporate Governance Law & DPO and Legal Advisor to the ERF, on how AI is affecting HR services, employment law and workplace regulation
• Mario Nava, Director-General for Employment at the European Commission, on how policy can enable growth while maintaining workforce protections
• Opening remarks from Andrea Khanjin, MPP, Minister of Red Tape Reduction and the Honourable David Piccini MPP, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills development.

The programme also brings together expertise from organisations including the International Labour Organisation and the International Organisation for Migration, alongside WEC global and regional corporate members and National Federations from nearly 50 countries.

Schaller continues: “We’re talking about making talent work better, faster and more fairly across borders, sectors and systems.The goal is not just to understand what is happening, but to leave with a clearer sense of what needs to change and how we can contribute. Our mission is to set high standards and maintain a strong Code of Conduct globally, while protecting the pathway to employment for millions of people.”

Each year, WEC members help place more than 61 million people into work worldwide, operating at the intersection of economic demand, workforce transformation and social mobility.

Find more information about World Employment Conference: https://wec2026.acsess.org/welcome

Follow for updates from the event: https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-employment-confederation/

For more information about WEC, including its recent Industry Impact Report: https://wecglobal.org/publication-post/private-employment-agencies-placed-61-million-people-in-jobs-in-2024-despite-revenue-decline/

About the World Employment Confederation

Founded in 1967, World Employment Confederation (WEC), formerly CIETT, advocates for the private employment services industry, lobbying for regulation and policy implementation while protecting the pathway to employment for over 60 million people worldwide each year.

https://wecglobal.org/

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