Equity & Justice | Health & Well-being | Innovation & Social Impact Abstract This article examines how cross-sector collaborations and leadership can be leveraged to advance age-friendly initiatives, with a particular focus on the role of co-production and the involvement of older adults. It first reviews examples of age-friendly initiatives from various regions in the Global North and South, highlighting multisector collaboration. Next, it presents case studies from Manchester (UK)—an international leader in age-friendly programs—that showcase co-production and the active participation of diverse groups of older adults. Finally, the article identifies key leadership principles and skills, as recognized by age-friendly leaders themselves, that are critical for overcoming barriers to collaboration and ensuring the sustainability of age-friendly initiatives. Key Words cross-sector collaborations, age-friendly initiatives, co-production, Manchester This article explores the roles of cross-sectorial collaborations, leadership, and co-production in developing Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCC). It contributes to an expanding body of work on the “age-friendly” movement, which was initiated by a 2007 World Health Organization study identifying the characteristics of AFCC, and expanded in 2010 through the Global Network for AFCC. The network now (as of 2025) includes more than 1,700 cities across 60 countries, all working to improve services and infrastructure for aging populations. Its rapid growth reflects an increasing recognition of the challenges posed by population aging, and the urgent need to improve both the built environment—housing, transportation, and urban design—and the social environment, by fostering social and civic participation (Buffel et al., 2024; Van Hoof et al., 2021). But the movement faces significant challenges. Austerity measures, limited resources, and shrinking public services have placed immense strain on local governments and age-friendly programs. These difficulties are compounded by a lack of sustained political commitment and widening socioeconomic inequalities, raising critical questions about the sustainability of age-friendly strategies and their ability to improve the well-being and equitable participation of older adults (Buffel & Phillipson, 2024; Greenfield, 2018). In this context, cross-sector collaboration has become increasingly vital to the success of age-friendly initiatives. Partnerships between stakeholders from local authorities, healthcare, public health, community organizations, and private businesses enable resource pooling, the sharing and Generations Journal | The Promise of an Age-Friendly Ecosystem Collaboration, leadership and co-production in action. By Tine Buffel Co-creating Age-Friendly Futures April 16, 2025 08/09/2025, 17:28 Co-creating Age-Friendly Futures - ASA Generations https://generations.asaging.org/co-creating-age-friendly-futures/ 1/8