Furthering Productive Aging through Public-Private Sector Alliances: The Case of the Mexican Government and Starbucks Company

ABSTRACT

This commentary focuses on the remunerated work dimension of productive aging in Mexico, specifically paid employment. The main purpose is to draw attention to productive aging policies and programs built on alliances between the Mexican government and private companies – e.g., Starbucks – and then to analyze the potential impacts of such alliances on the older population. We argue that although the Mexican government emphasizes the rights of older adults to engage in paid-employment programs through such alliances, it is not addressing the issues that underlie paid-employment activities in later life, such as conditions of inequality, lack of opportunities, and poverty. We also argue that the instrumentation of productive aging programs implemented by the government should consider the costs and benefits for older adults. Solid, research-based evidence is needed to better implement productive aging programs by accounting for the factors that influence older adults’ decisions to continue working, the functional capacities of older workers, and their performance needs.

KEYWORDS:

• Productive aging
• older adults
• paid employment
• Mexico
• older workers

Key points

• Alliances between the government and private companies need further analysis to establish potential consequences for older workers.

• The reasons why older Mexican adults continue working after the standard retirement age should be of interest to the government.

• The functional capacities and labor trajectories of older workers should be considered when implementing productive aging programs.

• The government must ensure a dignified and self-determined old age, including with respect to engaging in paid employment.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

No funding was received.