The Community of Practice on Industry 5.0 (CoP 5.0) is a European network of experts, researchers, and industrial stakeholders established by the European Commission. Its mission is to jointly develop, test, and disseminate the principles of Industry 5.0 by fostering collaboration, exchanging best practices, and supporting policy development that connects industry, society, and sustainable development. In 2024, the Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES) became an official member of CoP 5.0.
FEES joined CoP 5.0 to actively promote the human-centric approach as a core element of Industry 5.0. Ergonomics is, by definition, a human-centric scientific discipline that focuses on the interaction among humans, machines, and the working environment. Human-centred design is a key area of ergonomics, and ergonomic principles play a critical role in shaping industrial systems that are aligned with human capabilities, limitations, and well-being.
From an ergonomic perspective, the contribution to Industry 5.0 can be highlighted through several key aspects:
Inclusion of human operators
Ergonomic principles emphasise integrating human factors into the design of equipment, technologies, and work processes. By considering human strengths and limitations, industrial systems can achieve higher levels of safety, efficiency, and usability, thereby contributing to more sustainable, operator-friendly solutions.
Utilisation of workplace expertise
FEES recognises the value of workers’ practical knowledge and experience. The human-centric approach of Industry 5.0 encourages employees to actively identify problems and co-develop solutions, ensuring that innovations are grounded in real working conditions.
Team involvement and participation
Ergonomics supports participatory approaches in which teams are directly involved in the design and optimisation of industrial systems. This participation improves the quality and relevance of solutions and strengthens workers’ sense of ownership and responsibility.
Balanced use of technology
While advanced technologies are essential, FEES emphasises their ethical and responsible integration. Ergonomics ensures that technology complements human work rather than overshadowing it, helping to prevent negative effects such as excessive workload, stress, or alienation.
Through its participation in CoP 5.0, FEES aims to ensure that ergonomic principles underpin the human-centric transformation of industrial systems, aligning technological development with human well-being, organisational productivity, and societal values. As a multidisciplinary scientific field, ergonomics also contributes to the development of resilient, sustainable industrial systems.
Within CoP 5.0, Prof. Aleksandar Žunjić, Secretary-General of FEES, together with Dr Sebastian Capotescu (ErgoWork Society of Romania), were selected by the European Commission as a member of the expert working group Business Case 5.0 for Sustainable Competitiveness. This group, in close cooperation with the Hubs 5.0 working group, supports the development and promotion of Industry 5.0 under the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission.
As an outcome of the work carried out within the Business Case 5.0 for Sustainable Competitiveness expert group, Aleksandar Žunjić and Sebastian Capotescu published four scientific papers in 2025 addressing the role of the human-centric approach and human factors in achieving the sustainability objectives of Industry 5.0:
- Zunjic, A., Capotescu, S., Cuevas-Lopez-de-Baro, C., Cordea, C., Lukic, P. V. M. (2025). Contribution of the human-centric approach to environmental, social and economic sustainability. IETI Transactions on Engineering Research and Practice, Vol. 9, Issue 1, pp. 1–10.
- Zunjic, A., Capotescu, S., Cuevas-Lopez-de-Baro, C., Cordea, C., Yue, X.-G. (2025). Contribution of the human-centric approach to technological, resource and innovation sustainability. IETI Transactions on Engineering Research and Practice, Vol. 9, Issue 1, pp. 11–22.
- Zunjic, A., Capotescu, S., Cuevas-Lopez-de-Baro, C., Cordea, C., Yue, X.-G. (2025). Contribution of the human-centric approach to organizational, market, and health sustainability. IETI Transactions on Engineering Research and Practice, Vol. 9, Issue 1, pp. 23–34.
- Capotescu, S., Zunjic, A., Cuevas-Lopez-de-Baro, C., Cordea, C. (2025). Human factor as central approach in a sustainable business model for Industry 5.0. IETI Transactions on Ergonomics and Safety, Vol. 9, Issue 1, pp. 22–45.
