Last November, the +45 Alliance: Talent and Employment was officially launched. This initiative, promoted by Fundación Máshumano, Madrid City Council’s Employment Agency, and TURIUM (Vocento), aims to promote the labor inclusion of senior talent by breaking age-related stereotypes and recognizing the strategic value of professionals over 45. The alliance also seeks to create real employment opportunities to address talent shortages in key sectors.
The +45 Alliance emphasizes experience, generational diversity, and the unique contributions of senior professionals, positioning them as a solution to labor gaps. It is structured around five principles that promote awareness, cultural transformation in companies, and the creation of genuine employment opportunities.
In addition to Sagardoy, nine other leading companies initially joined the initiative, including Abadia Retuerta, ISDIN, ISS Facility Services Spain, Les Roches Marbella Global Hospitality, MARUGAL, Meliá Hotels International, Palladium Hotel Group, Securitas Group, and TENDAM. Initially focused on Madrid and the tourism sector, which represents 14% of Spain’s GDP, the alliance aims to expand gradually to other sectors and regions.
During the launch event, Pepe Aniorte, Manager of Madrid City Council’s Employment Agency, stated: “This alliance aligns with the City Council’s commitment to promoting equal opportunities and removing barriers to employment. We want Madrid to be a benchmark in implementing active policies for the employability of people over 45.”
Aniorte also highlighted the +45 Trabajo Madrid program, launched with Fundación Máshumano, which supports unemployed people over 45 through guidance, training, and job placement. “In its first six months, 392 hours of training and 2,300 hours of personalized guidance have been provided, resulting in over 130 hires,” he noted.
Beatriz Sánchez Guitián, General Director of Fundación Máshumano, emphasized: “This alliance is a firm step toward a more inclusive employment model, where the experience and talent of people over 45 are recognized as a strategic asset. At Fundación Máshumano, we exist to remind society that work is not just a resource but a driver of transformation. At the same time, senior professionals continue to face outdated stereotypes, while companies demand stable and prepared profiles. The +45 Alliance was created to foster a new perspective and generate real opportunities for people, companies, and society.”
Mercedes Marín García, General Director of Training for the Community of Madrid, also spoke at the event, presenting the main points of the Senior Employment Plan led by the regional government, highlighting that its objectives align with those of the +45 Alliance in promoting labor inclusion for senior talent.
Finally, Samary Fernández Feito, General Director of the Luxury and Lifestyle Division at Vocento, added: “This alliance reminds us that talent doesn’t expire: it evolves, transforms, and grows with experience. Senior talent is not a group to protect, but a strategic capability that brings innovation, judgment, and depth, especially in uncertain times. At Turium, Vocento’s division for excellence in tourism, we have spent five years working to transform the sector toward a model of excellence and are well aware of the talent crisis affecting this important industry. This is a collective, systemic challenge, and we must continue working to turn the Manifesto’s commitments into real, impactful actions.”
The initiative’s promoters encourage everyone to actively contribute to fostering a more inclusive, diverse, and enriching labor market for professionals over 45.
