The Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, Domna Michaelidou, during her speech today at the 16th Annual Capital Link Sustainability Forum, titled “Public & Private Sectors with a Vision for Sustainability.”
Domna Michaelidou emphasized that “sustainability is not just about indicators, regulations, and compliance obligations. It is the way we organize development so that every person has a place within it. There can be no truly sustainable economy when a young person cannot find a home, when a parent feels they must choose between their family and their job, when a person with a disability faces barriers in daily life, education, work, and social life. Sustainable development requires collaboration.
We need a government that plans, sets rules, and creates the right conditions. We also need businesses that understand that investing in people is not a cost, but a prerequisite for resilience, trust, and real progress. “The most resilient economy is one in which people feel they have a place, opportunities, and a future.”
Ms. Michailidou also referred to key policies of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, such as the “Neighborhood Nannies” program, which supports working parents and the reconciliation of family and professional life, the Personal Assistant program, which promotes independent living and meaningful participation for people with disabilities; initiatives to improve accessibility and digital empowerment for people with disabilities and the elderly; and policies for affordable housing.
He placed particular emphasis on housing, noting that access to affordable housing is not merely an economic issue, but a matter of social stability, demographic resilience, and productive prospects. As she noted, when a young person cannot live near their job or confidently plan the next steps in their life, this affects the economy as a whole, labor mobility, and the country’s ability to retain its young people.
Finally, Ms. Michailidou also referred to the decisive role of businesses, emphasizing that truly modern companies are not judged solely by their financial results, but also by the work environment they create, by whether they incorporate diversity and inclusion into their daily operations, and by whether they make meaningful investments in their people. The Diversity Seal fits into this framework, recognizing companies and organizations that implement equal treatment policies in the workplace.
SOURCE: APE-MPE