When Global Events Become Catalysts for Action

You’ve probably experienced it.

You go to an event and much bigger things than you imagined happen.

The World Chambers Congress 2025 in Melbourne recently was one such event. It was much more than a gathering of 1200 business leaders from 110 countries. It became a living example of how large-scale events can create lasting positive change.

Through its partnership with B1G1: Business for Good, the Congress turned participation into meaningful impact. Every delegate, every speaker and every organizer became part of a ripple effect reaching hundreds of communities around the world.

Turning Participation into Real Impact

Together, the Congress community contributed to carefully chosen B1G1 Global Projects, creating tangible results that continue to grow long after the event itself ended. Here’s what happened:

• 1,100 trees were planted across the world — helping to restore ecosystems, capture carbon, and build long-term climate resilience for communities. Every delegate who joined the Congress effectively planted a tree, offsetting a portion of the emissions generated by event activities.
• And additionally, 246 extra trees were planted based on delegates’ personal choices via the Congress App.
• 225 plastic blocks contributed through the Plastic Blocks for Schools Project in Indonesia — turning plastic waste rescued from beaches, landfills, and oceans into durable eco-bricks used to quickly and efficiently rebuild schools in disaster-affected regions
• 138 days of emergency assistance provided to farmers in Australia, helping rural families recover from droughts, bush fires, and floods.

We are deeply grateful to every speaker, delegate, and organizing team member who helped make this possible — proving that when we come together, even a conference can become a force for good.

Turning Action into Long-term Global Impact

Over the next 20 years, those 1,100 trees planted through the Congress partnership are projected to offset more than twice the total estimated CO₂ emissions generated by the ICC teams’ travel to Melbourne — even under conservative growth and survival rate assumptions.

This shows the potential of coupling purposeful collaboration with environmental impact. When major events integrate sustainability and impact into their planning, they create measurable benefits beyond the event itself — and inspire others to do the same.

From Plastic to Purpose, from Farms to Forests

Each impact tells a story:

• Plastic waste rescued and reborn as school walls for children in Indonesia.
• Farmers in Australia supported to rebuild livelihoods after natural disasters.
• Native forests revived and protected, restoring balance to nature.

Together, these actions reflect the Congress’s shared commitment to sustainable and inclusive prosperity worldwide.

We hope this example encourages other Chambers and Companies to turn their everyday activities and moments of connection into opportunities for positive social and environmental change.

Leadership and Purpose in Conversation

To explore the deeper meaning behind this collaboration, (and also to be surprised) watch the recorded dialogue between John W.H. Denton AO, Secretary General of the ICC, and Masami Sato, Founder of B1G1.

In their conversation, they discuss the power of service-oriented leadership and how aligning business and purpose can change the world.

“Real leadership is about serving others.”
— John W.H. Denton AO

This reflection captured the spirit of the Congress — showing how small, consistent actions, when multiplied through collective intent, can lead to lasting global change.

A New Standard for Global Events

Through this collaboration, the World Chambers Congress set a powerful precedent for how international events can effortlessly and easily integrate impact, sustainability, and purpose — ensuring that every interaction counts toward a brighter future for all.

The B1G1 Movement continues to grow, with more than 385 million giving impacts created through partnerships with businesses around the world — each one a testament to what’s possible when we align business with doing good.

Learn more about B1G1 and how to make your next event a force for good: b1g1.com