Human-Centred Sustainability and Industry 5.0: Transformation for a Better Future

Dear Colleagues,

Industry 5.0 is described as the next phase in industrial evolution, building on the foundations of Industry 4.0 while shifting the focus to human-centricity, sustainability, and resilience in manufacturing and industrial systems [1–4]. As economies decarbonize and digitalize, aligning social sustainability with circular and low-carbon strategies becomes essential across manufacturing and services [5,6].

This Special Issue investigates frameworks, metrics, technologies, and policies that operationalize human-centred sustainability across sectors. It aligns with Sustainability’s interdisciplinary scope by integrating environmental, social, and economic dimensions and by bridging science, engineering, and management.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Human-centric (Industry 5.0) frameworks and social sustainability indicators (inclusion, participation);  
• Social LCA and integration with LCA/LCCA; multi-criteria decision support;
• Human–AI collaboration, cobots, ergonomics, and safety-by-design;
• Circular economy with social value; transition strategies and skills development;
• Digital enablers (digital twins, IoT) for worker well-being and sustainable operations;
• Governance, policy, and sustainable/green/public procurement for human-centred, just transitions;
• Supply chain due diligence, transparency, and responsible innovation;
• Risk, resilience, and business continuity with social dimensions;
• Sectoral applications: automotive, construction, chemical/process industries, tourism and mobility;
• Living labs, co-design, stakeholder engagement, and community impacts;
• Comparative cross-country studies and SME/cluster transformation pathways.

I look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Bibliography:

1. Monteiro, J.; Barata, J. Digital Twin-Enabled Regional Food Supply Chain: A Review and Research Agenda. J Ind Inf Integr 2025, 45, doi:10.1016/j.jii.2025.100851.
2. Mourtzis, D.; Wang, L. Industry 5.0: Perspectives, Concepts, and Technologies; 2024; ISBN 9780443139246.
3. Nazir, S.; Ali, M. Technological Innovation in the Era of Industry 5.0; Concepts and Principles; 2025; ISBN 9780443338137.
4. Leon, R.D. Employees’ Reskilling and Upskilling for Industry 5.0: Selecting the Best Professional Development Programmes. Technol Soc 2023, 75, doi:10.1016/j.techsoc.2023.102393.
5. Ayaz, O.; Tatoglu, E. Unveiling the Power of Social Value: Catalyzing Circular Economy in Emerging Market SMEs. J Clean Prod 2024, 453, doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142245.
6. Miliute-Plepiene, J.; Johansson, J.; Sanne, J.M.; Karlsson, M. Beyond Materials: How Work and Skills Shape the Future of Reuse in Sweden’s Industrial Ecosystems. Cleaner Production Letters 2025, 9, doi:10.1016/j.clpl.2025.100110.

Dr. Jarosław Górecki
Guest Editor

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