Contribution of the human-centric approach to technological, resource and innovation sustainability

The specific role of the human-centric approach in the development of sustainability has not been sufficiently explored. In this paper, the overall contribution of the human-centric approach to the reinforcement of the three dimensions of sustainability established in Industry 5.0, technological, resource, and innovation sustainability, is considered. The analysis shows that human-centricity has a systematic impact on every dimension with all the relevant segments that are found in the literature and practice, ranging from the design of the adaptable, energy-efficient and ethically aligned technologies, responsible resource use with the help of human-machine decision-making, circularity, digitalization in accordance with human needs, and inclusive innovation processes based on user feedback, co-creation, and ethical principles. Combined, these segments bring into sight the fact that the human-centric approach is not an individual pillar of Industry 5.0, but it is an integration mechanism that operationalizes sustainability in the whole industrial ecosystem. The main value of this research is the construction of a comprehensive framework to link human-centric design with all the important technological, resource-related and innovation-oriented sustainability processes. This framework describes the channels that result in human-centricity to deliver long-term environmental, economic and social returns. The results can be used as practical evidence in the development of European Commission policies and the activities of the CoP I5.0 as they prove that an investment in human-centric strategies contributes directly to the priorities of the EU in terms of sustainable competitiveness.