ISSA International Social Security Association : President discusses cooperation on future of social security with ILO Chief

The future of social security in the digital economy was discussed at the first meeting between newly-elected ISSA President Dr Joachim Breuer and the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Mr Guy Ryder, at the UN agency's headquarters in Geneva on 27 January.

The ISSA President, accompanied by Secretary General Mr Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, discussed a range of issues of common interest with Mr Ryder, including the outcomes of the World Social Security Forum in 2016, collaboration in the field of occupational safety and health and the 'Vision Zero' campaign, and the goal of universal social protection enshrined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The ISSA and ILO leaders gave particular emphasis to strengthen collaboration between the two organizations to address key global challenges related to the impact of the digital economy on the future evolution of the labour market and social security systems.
The ISSA President invited the ILO Chief to an international symposium dedicated to social protection in a changing world of work planned by the ISSA for 2017 to mark the 90th anniversary of the Association.

The ISSA was founded under the auspices of the 10th International Labour Conference on the initiative of Albert Thomas, the first Director-General of the ILO in 1927. Since that date, the ISSA has grown from an Association of 17 institutions to a membership of 334 government departments and social security institutions from 158 countries. Since its creation, the ISSA has worked closely with the ILO.

'The impressive development of the ISSA over 90 years is not only a success of social security institutions from around the world, but also an historic achievement of the ILO,' Dr Breuer stated.
The ISSA leadership emphasized the ISSA's commitment to promote the extension of coverage and to ensure the successful adaptation of social security systems to the changing global economic context in close collaboration with the ILO.

The ISSA works closely with the ILO in several areas, notably social protection, social security and occupational safety and health, and the two organizations signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding in 2012. The ISSA and ILO jointly organize the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work every three years, and recently co-published international Guidelines on Actuarial Work for Social Security.