The initiative is promoted by the José Neves Foundation and by the Government, through the Secretary of State for Labour.

In addition to the debate on good practices and challenges faced by young people and companies, the meeting also took stock of the starting point and projections of the estimated impact for 2026.

The meeting, which follows the launch of the Pact on January 19, 2023, also formalised the adhesion of 51 new companies, which thus join the first 50 adhering companies, of which Grupo BEL is a part.

The meeting took place at the Picadeiro Real de Belém and was attended by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho, the Secretary of State for Labour, Miguel Fontes, José Neves, associated entities, signatory companies and their young representatives, and associated entities.

Portuguese companies

There are 101 Portuguese companies that are signatories to the Pact, with a turnover of €78,000 million euros and employing around 260,000 people.

With this partnership, Grupo BEL undertakes, by 2026 and through a set of established targets, to reinforce its commitment to various indicators, namely to hire and retain young workers, to guarantee quality employment for young people, to train, develop and give a voice to young people.

“We recognise the importance of mobilising the business fabric in promoting more and better jobs. With the signing of the pact, Grupo BEL undertakes to assume permanent hiring of young people in order to reach 20% of workers up to 30 years of age in its staff by 2024”, says Marco Galinha, founder and CEO of Grupo BEL.

Carlos Oliveira, Executive President of the José Neves Foundation, emphasises that the Pact “is a very important agreement for the country, which unites companies and public entities to respond to a reality that the country has been struggling with for too many years: the vulnerability of employment young people, even the most qualified. Our expectation is that this commitment will result in the creation of solutions for a structural change that contradicts the current state of affairs, and that promotes a response to the needs and desires of young Portuguese people who want to find in our country the conditions they aspire to for progression with professional and personal dignity.

The document with the “More and Better Jobs for Young People Pact” can be consulted in full here http://joseneves.org/pacto