health and safety as a strategic driver of business competitiveness

Health and safety as a strategic driver of business competitiveness

29 apr 2026

|In Corporate

Lattanzio KIBS Research Centre data presented at the Milan conference on the occasion of World Day for Safety and Health at Work

By 2070, 1 in 2 workers will be over 65

The Lattanzio KIBS Research Centre projects that by 2070, one in two workers will be over 65. This is not a distant trend - it is a structural transformation already underway, one that is reshaping business priorities and demanding a fundamental shift in perspective: from safety as a regulatory obligation to safety as a strategic choice.

It was from this finding that Annachiara Annino, Partner at Lattanzio KIBS, developed her contribution to the conference, illustrating how people over 65 already account for 24% of the Italian population and generate economic value worth 321 billion euros, equivalent to 19.4% of national GDP. On the cost side, 70–80% of EU healthcare expenditure is absorbed by chronic diseases that are largely preventable, with direct consequences for organisations in terms of productivity, absenteeism and structural vulnerability.

Lattanzio KIBS took part in the conference "Health and Safety as Strategic Value for Competitiveness — Risk Management for Resilient Businesses", an initiative organised with the support of the School of Management at LUM University, FormaTerziario, AIPSA and BM&C Società Benefit, bringing together Members of the European Parliament, institutional representatives, senior managers and industry professionals.

Four working groups, one shared goal: a culture of safety

The conference opened with institutional remarks from MEP Isabella Tovaglieri, followed by contributions from MPs Umberto Maerna and Maurizio Casasco, Regional Councillor Romana Dell'Erba of Lombardy, and Elena Buscemi of the Milan City Council. A cross-sector panel that reflected the growing institutional recognition of safety as a pillar of economic development.

The heart of the event took shape through four thematic working groups, each capturing the complexity and cross-cutting nature of workplace safety. The message shared by all speakers was unequivocal: embedding safety into business decision-making as a strategic priority - rather than treating it as a formal requirement - is today an essential step for executives and senior leaders who want to build truly resilient organisations.