Institutions support people in life transitions by “connecting the dots” of various social security and social services through systematic data exchange. The implementation of new mechanisms of data coordination has already proven instrumental for improving social security services and benefits, better reaching the population in need and, most importantly, facilitating tailored support to people during key moments of their life. 

Digital technologies are fundamentally transforming how public services are designed and delivered. This article zooms in on the implementation of digital inclusion strategies among European ISSA member institutions.

While social security administrations have gradually pursued digital strategies over the past decades, the COVID-19 crisis accelerated their digital transformation journey. The resilience and scalability of digital systems in responding to unprecedented needs despite operational constraints has dramatically moved the needle on organizations going “digital by default”. This article builds on the experiences of social security institutions in Europe.

Social security institutions in the region of Europe are fostering institutional maturity in governance and performance, and embracing information and communication technologies (ICT) to achieve service excellence in the programmes they administer.