Focus Sector

The Gig & Platform Economy

Supporting gig and platform workers in accessing rights, protections, and economic opportunities.

Why this matters

The Gig & Platform Economy

Emerging forms of work like the platform economy, where individuals find and conduct work through digital platforms, create new vulnerabilities for workers. In this system, workers are often classified as ‘independent contractors’, leaving them outside the scope of labor laws and protections. While they face new labor challenges like excessive digital surveillance and algorithmic management, the central challenges remain the same as in informal work: poor working conditions, lack of agency in the supply chain which keeps people stuck in low-wage work, and limited social protections.

Key figures

70M+

people are engaged in the gig economy globally.

90%

of gig workers lack access to social protections.

Resources