Invitation to contribute to the Ministerial Roundtable of the Global Labor Market Conference

Saatja: "Info - SOM" <[email protected]> Saaja: "info - MKM" <[email protected]> Teema: FW: Invitation to contribute to the Ministerial Roundtable of the Global Labor Market Conference on 26-27 January 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Kuupäev: 2025-10-17 06:35 Tere Edastame pöördumise tulenevalt kuuluvusele Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeeriumile. Lugupidamisega Dokumendihaldustalitus _____ From: Global Labor Market Conference <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2025 4:23:00 PM To: Karmen Joller - SOM <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Cc: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Subject: Invitation to contribute to the Ministerial Roundtable of the Global Labor Market Conference on 26-27 January 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga. Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada. Your Excellency, We are honored to invite you to participate in the Ministerial Roundtable taking place on 26 January 2026 in Riyadh, part of the third edition of the Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC). This high-level, closed-door forum will bring together Ministers of [Labor/Migrants] and select international organizations to exchange perspectives and explore collaborative solutions to today’s labor market challenges. Following the Roundtable, we would be honored by your presence at the official opening of the GLMC and the two-day conference. Please find the formal invitation from H.E Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al Rajhi, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for KSA, and GLMC 3rd edition Factsheet attached to this e-mail. An official invitation will also be shared through the formal channels of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Our dedicated team member Dalia Hammoud is always ready to answer any questions you may have and discuss the details of your participation on +966 56 942 8421. We would be honored by your presence and look forward to welcoming you to Riyadh. Sincerely, On behalf of the Minister’s Office The GLMC Program Team إخـلاء مسؤولية: إن المعلومات الواردة في هذا البريد الإلكتروني وأي ملفات مرفقة هي معلومات خاصة بالمرسل إليه أو المتعامل و قد تحتوي على معلومات سرية أو مواد محمية ولذلك يحظر على أي شخص آخر الاطلاع على محتويات هذا البريد الإلكتروني. الرجاء إذا لم تكن أحد المعنيين باستلام هذا البريد الإلكتروني، المبادرة بإشعار المرسل فوراً وحذف المواد التي يتضمنها هذا البريد . يمنع منعاً باتاً نسخ أو توزيع أو اتخاذ أو إلغاء أي أجراء بالاعتماد على هذا البريد الإلكتروني Disclaimer: This electronic communication is intended by the sender only for the access and use by the addressee and may contain confidential information. It is your responsibility to ensure that this e-mail and any attachments are virus free. If you have received it by mistake, please notify the sender by return e-mail and delete this message from your system. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of this message in whole or in part is strictly prohibited Global Labor Market Conference 3rd Edition 26-27 January 2026 King Abdulaziz International Conference Center Riyadh, Saudi Arabia KNOWLEDGE PARTNERS GLMC.COM  INTRODUCTION The Global Labor Market Conference is the premier platform for dialogue within the global labor community. It is designed to advance solutions to the most pressing workforce challenges in ways that are not only effective, but also fair and sustainable. Inclusive by design, the GLMC brings together a diverse coalition, from youth voices to the highest levels of government leadership, ensuring that all perspectives are represented. Now in its third edition, the GLMC is both continuing the movement it began and evolving to reflect the profound changes shaping today’s labor markets. KNOWLEDGE PARTNERS GLMC.COM  OUR VISION To shape a future-ready global labor market that generates quality jobs and delivers inclusive prosperity built on sustainable growth. MISSION To be the leading global knowledge hub and driver of labor market progress through a flagship event and year-round initiatives that engage different perspectives from the world of work, policymakers, regulators, business leaders, academics, and voices from different generational cohorts – advancing solutions that balance quality employment and productivity amid ever-changing market dynamics. OBJECTIVES Generate and Transfer Bring Every Voice Knowledge to the Table Unveil, debate, and share Ensure no one is left behind by cutting-edge theoretical and practical bringing together diverse voices from insights that can shape the future of across the globe - particularly those labor. that are underrepresented - to collaborate and innovate solutions. Promote Transparency and Drive Impact Through Courageous Dialogue Action Confront complex and sensitive labor Transform bold ideas into tangible issues head-on, fostering open and change by translating dialogue into honest conversations that lead to concrete initiatives, policies, and meaningful, evidence-based partnerships. knowledge.  PREVIOUS EDITION ACHIEVEMENTS Opened dialogue on sensitive labor Established the GLMC Labor Market issues Academy A Riyadh-based institution, developed with the World Provided a high-level platform to address sensitive Bank and Takamol Holding, already training and complex topics such as migration, policymakers worldwide to enhance youth unemployment, and and the challenges of aging employment, integrate social protection, and build demographics. adaptive labor ecosystems. Convened minister-level policy Launched global research discussions Navigating Tomorrow: Mastering Skills in a Dynamic Hosted ministers from around the globe in exclusive Global Labor Market surveyed 14,000 participants in roundtables to share insights, exchange perspectives, 14 countries to explore adaptation strategies in the and explore collaborative approaches to emerging evolving labor market. labor market challenges and opportunities, with discussions that could inform future policy directions. Catalyzed partnerships Facilitated strategic collaboration Over 70 MoUs signed in the last edition, benefiting 150 bilateral meetings between government, business, an estimated 300,000 people. and institutional leaders during the last edition. Expanded global participation Achieved significant media visibility Most recent event brought together representatives 3.4 billion people reached through international media from 120 countries. coverage.  WHAT TO EXPECT FOR THIS YEAR? 200+ 7000+ 50+ Speakers Global & Local Conference Sessions Attendees Across Multiple Tracks NEW FORMATS POLICY IN A FLASH POLICY HACKATHON PASSING THE TORCH Spotlights where speakers present Closed, 6-hour working sessions A top academic selects a pressing their biggest workforce challenge bringing together youth, policymakers, topic or issue and invites emerging and their boldest policy experiment business leaders, and academics to scholars from diverse schools and to solve it. Sharp, comparative, and co-create innovative responses to countries to present their findings or highly engaging. labor challenges, culminating in a proposed solutions. Senior academics single joint solution presented back to then provide feedback, challenge the conference. assumptions, and spark debate.  ON THE AGENDA – 6 NEW PILLARS TRADE SHIFTS, LABOR MOVES: WHERE DOES WORK GO FROM HERE? 1 New tariffs and rising protectionism are disrupting long-standing global trade relationships, with hard-to-predict consequences layered onto already complex, highly diversified value chains. What does this mean for productivity, for jobs, for wages and skills? Which industries are most exposed? Can domestic labor markets keep up? Will migration patterns shift? Do we fight to protect existing jobs or invest in new ones? And above all, how can policymakers and companies shore up in a time of uncertainty, while also keeping sight of the longer-term need for innovation, skills, and collaboration across borders? OFF THE RECORD: SHADOW ECONOMIES, REAL WORKERS While informality often signals weak enforcement or institutional capacity, it can also reflect structural realities: low productivity sectors where formal employment are difficult to sustain, 2 regulatory burdens, or situations where workers prefer informal jobs for their flexibility or higher take-home pay. Should full formalization be the goal, or is a certain degree of informality inevitable, and even beneficial, in some contexts? How do policymakers weigh the costs of enforcement against the potential downsides of informality, such as tax loss and limited protections? And what strategies work best for managing the transition: accelerating formalization where possible, or designing protections that function within informal structures? THE NEW SKILLS ORDER Is the global economy sufficiently supplied with the skills it needs? The answer is uneven: some regions face critical shortages while others struggle with underutilized talent; some sectors are 3 expanding rapidly while others contract; some workers are locked out by lack of experience while others are stuck in roles beneath their capabilities. Addressing these mismatches requires rethinking traditional structures and embracing unconventional solutions: from understanding what hampers skills development and creates shortages, to questioning whether traditional remedies are enough, if today’s flexible systems can truly resolve skills shortages over the long run, and if the very notion of the job as the basic unit of work has reached its limits. STILL LEARNING: WHAT WE GOT RIGHT ABOUT AI AND WHAT WE DIDN'T AI’s impact on the labor market is yet to fully unfold. Questions about the quality of AI-generated work are prompting some companies to walk back automation decisions, bringing humans back 4 into roles that had been automated. Furthermore, recent labor market trends show growth in high-skill, well-compensated roles, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and math, while employment in many low-paid service jobs has flattened or declined – shifts that are emerging alongside growing AI adoption. Is AI truly augmenting human work, or is it creating more pressure to produce, emotional detachment, and lower-quality output? Will the current gains for high-skilled roles last, or give way to displacement by more tech-savvy workers? And how should we respond to the decline in low-paid service work? CRISIS-PROOFING THE WORKFORCE: GROWTH MEETS RESILIENCE Crises, whether climate shocks, pandemics, recessions, or financial crashes, expose the limits of today’s labor markets. This pillar examines how governments, policymakers, and companies can 5 intervene effectively in the face of disruption, and how labor systems can adapt to recover and reallocate talent quickly. This pillar explores the critical tools and strategies needed to build resilience: portable protections that follow workers across jobs, sectors, and borders; rapid retraining models that enable quick transitions; and job diversification to reduce systemic risk. It also raises key questions: How can these protections be designed to ensure no worker is left behind? What models of retraining best prepare workers for sudden shifts? Does diversification across sectors reduce systemic risk, or simply spread vulnerability differently? And above all, should policymakers design crisis-response measures with the post-crisis labor market in mind? ALIGNING LABOR WITH HUMAN PROGRESS Labor markets are too often measured by the quantity of jobs, not their quality. Yet, research shows 6 that high-quality jobs are crucial drivers of productivity and innovation. Companies that invest in worker well-being and development often outperform their peers, demonstrating that investing in human capital is a key driver of commercial efficiency. This pillar explores how labor market policies can be recalibrated to balance job quality with economic performance - shaping working conditions, job security, benefits, and the welfare of workers. It raises the question of whether success should be measured not only in output, but also in well-being, trust, and purpose. And it asks how wages, benefits, and regulation can evolve to support growth that is sustainable for businesses, workers, and societies alike.  CORE FEATURES OF GLMC Ministerial Roundtable Controversial Conversations & Debates Impactful Keynotes Thought-Provoking Panel Discussions Bilateral Meetings Youth, Silver, and Academic Track Co-creative Sessions The Labor Market Awards MINISTERIAL ROUNDTABLE Year after year, the GLMC Ministerial Roundtable has proven to be the place where the world’s labor leaders come together for meaningful dialogue on the future of work. Now convening for the third consecutive edition, it gathers the highest-level authorities whose collective voice translates directly into impact. More than 45 international ministers will once again meet under one roof in Riyadh. This assembly not only carries forward the momentum of past editions, it responds to the urgent need for action in a rapidly changing global labor market. LABOR MARKET LEADERS Bringing together the world’s foremost leaders and changemakers to shape the future of work. Meet, discuss, and engage with: Ministers of Labor Regulators and Policymakers CEOs of Leading International and Regional Companies Employee Group Representatives Researchers, Academics and Chief Global Multilateral Organizations Economists  THANK YOU KNOWLEDGE PARTNERS For more information on how to be part of the Global Labor Market Conference 2026, contact us on [email protected] 53871 :pl.,oJI ~ ; • 1447/04/22 :cC>.J; u 1111111 H111 111111 :..:.i~,c.11 :~1,-0J 2025/10/14 • IS 04:41 •• ••• • • ••• GLOBAL LABOR MARKET CONJ.l;RE ce 8 October 2025 Minister of Social affairs Government of The the Republic of Estonia Subject: Invitation to the Ministerial Roundtable of the Global Labor Market Conference 2026 in Riyadh, KSA Your Excellency, Amid ongoing economic, demographic, and technological developments, there is a pressing need to develop and refine effective employment strategies that create quality jobs across society, while simultaneously enhancing productivity and long-term economic performance. It is in this spirit that we invite you, as esteemed Minister of Social affairs of the Republic of Estonia, to join us at the annual Ministerial Roundtable of the Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC), held under the Patronage of His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on 26 January 2026 in Riyadh . Building on the achievements of GLMC 2025, the 2026 Ministerial Roundtable will unite 45 international ministers, charting a course for a bold, forward-looking, and solutions-focused conference. Your insights, experience, and vision will contribute meaningfully to this dialogue and reinforce our shared commitment to advancing labor markets. The Ministerial Roundtable is reserved for government ministers and a select number of global multilateral organizations and will take place behind closed doors. Selected observers will also be invited and ensuing bilateral meetings will be encouraged . We will then also be honored to welcome you to the official opening of the Global Labor Market Conference that is taking place on 26 - 27 January 2026. We will be delighted to share additional details as required and hope that you will accept this invitation. Please ask your office to reply to [email protected] and a dedicated member of the GLMC program team will be in touch to answer any questions and confirm your participation . For more information regarding GLMC, please scan the QR code below. We look forward to welcoming you . Yours sincerely, _r)_ Ahmad bin Sulaiman AlRajhi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Kingdom of Saudi Arabia GLMC.COM TMIWOIILD- 110ECD - -