PROSPECTS 5.0: Developing an Assessment Framework to enhance Human-Centricity in Industry 5.0

Advancing Industry 5.0 Conference! - 16 June - 17 June Track 1: Employee Participation and the Transition to Industry 5.0 PROSPECTS 5.0: Developing an Assessment Framework to enhance Human-Centricity in Industry 5.0 Giacomo Cantini1, Fabio Pini2, Alberto Vergnano2, Anna Rita Graziani3, Mauro Dell’Amico1 1Department of Engineering Sciences and Methods (DISMI), (UNIMORE) 2 Enzo Ferrari Department of Engineering (DIEF), University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE) 3Department of Communication and Economics (DCE), UNIMORE Presenting Author: [email protected] Introduction The PROSPECTS 5.0 project, funded under the Horizon Europe programme, is designed to support a systemic transition towards Industry 5.0—a paradigm that moves beyond the efficiency and productivity gains of Industry 4.0 to embrace more human-centric, sustainable, and resilient industrial models. This paper presents the conceptualization and early implementation of the Industry 5.0 Assessment Framework (I5.AF), a tool developed within the project to guide organizations in evaluating their alignment with Industry 5.0 principles, with a strong focus on Human-Centricity. The shift toward Industry 5.0 is marked by a recognition that industrial development must address not only technological and economic performance, but also the well-being of workers, societal values, and ecological constraints. Among the three core pillars of Industry 5.0—Human-Centricity, Environmental Sustainability, and Industrial Resilience—HumanCentricity stands out as a foundational element. It advocates for production systems that recognize the unique contributions of human workers, prioritize inclusion and diversity, foster creativity, and safeguard both physical and psychological well-being. To assess and advance these objectives, the PROSPECTS 5.0 consortium has developed the Industry 5.0 Assessment Framework (I5.AF). Drawing from an extensive literature review of more than 80 scientific and policy sources, a Delphi survey conducted with over 20 experts, and multi-stakeholder co-creation workshops, the framework establishes a robust set of assessment criteria, study questions, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) designed to evaluate and promote alignment with Industry 5.0 values. Specifically for Human-Centricity, four main assessment criteria were defined: (1) Human Empowerment, (2) Safety and Well-Being, (3) Technology Adoption for Worker Support, and (4) Inclusivity and Diversity. Each criterion is associated with dedicated KPIs aimed at capturing both strategic alignment (policy-level) and measurable outcomes (operationallevel). Examples of KPIs include the Comprehensive Employee Well-being and Satisfaction Index, the Technology Adoption Score for Human-Machine Collaboration, and the Training and Re-skilling Opportunities Index. These KPIs were designed to be both standardized across sectors and adaptable to context, ensuring broad applicability and relevance for different types of companies. Methodology The methodological approach used to develop the framework was strongly participatory and iterative. Following its initial design, the framework underwent a comprehensive covalidation process involving 14 workshops with companies participating as use cases in the PROSPECTS 5.0 project. These companies, which span a range of industrial sectors and sizes, provided insights through structured discussions, qualitative interviews, and quantitative ranking of KPIs. The workshops were conducted between July and October 2024, with most held on-site at company premises and in local languages to maximize engagement. The high level of participation—77 individuals including CEOs, HR managers, and project leaders—enabled the team to refine the framework based on real-world feedback, ensuring that it captures both strategic intent and practical feasibility. Major findings While the full-scale validation of the framework is currently ongoing within the use cases, preliminary insights suggest several positive findings. First, companies recognize the relevance of measuring Human-Centricity dimensions, especially in areas such as wellbeing, skills development, and worker participation in decision-making. Second, the modularity and scalability of the I5.AF was highlighted as a key strength, allowing companies to tailor their assessment to their size, sector, and strategic goals. Finally, early feedback suggests that the I5.AF could support companies in structuring their internal improvement processes and provide an evidence base for policy alignment, certification, or even ESG reporting. Implications Importantly, the Industry 5.0 Assessment Framework does not aim to provide a one-sizefits-all solution. Instead, it introduces a dual structure:  Core KPIs, which are applicable across all companies and measure alignment with fundamental I5.0 principles.  Scenario-Related KPIs, which are applied based on company size or sectoral context, allowing deeper analysis of key dimensions such as ergonomics, diversity, local sourcing, or cybersecurity. By enabling companies to both benchmark and track their progression along the path to Industry 5.0, the framework fosters a culture of continuous learning, human-centered innovation, and organizational adaptability. Ultimately, it positions Human-Centricity not as a peripheral goal, but as a strategic driver of value creation in the next industrial era. The I5.AF framework represents an important step toward institutionalizing human-centric values in industrial assessment and decision-making. It enables companies to go beyond compliance and efficiency metrics, embedding employee well-being, empowerment, and learning into their strategic and operational indicators. The preliminary implementation showed that:  The framework can be customized based on company size and sector.  Companies value the clarity and practicality of the KPIs.  There is a growing interest in measuring social and organizational factors.  The framework has the potential to inform internal transformation strategies and external reporting (e.g., ESG, CSRD). As the PROSPECTS 5.0 project continues, the implementation of the I5.AF in real-world use cases will offer additional insights into its effectiveness, scalability, and relevance. The findings will inform future updates to the framework and feed into other project outputs, including digital tools, training resources, and policy recommendations, further supporting the broader European ambition for a just, inclusive, and forward-looking industrial transformation. Keywords: Industry 5.0, Human-Centricity, Assessment Framework, Skills Development, Co-creation, Organizational Learning, KPIs, Workplace Innovation, Employee Empowerment, Co-creation, Resilience, Sustainability