The key takeaways from the 13th edition of the World Chambers Congress that took place in Geneva from June 21-23 2023 under the theme "Achieving peace and prosperity through multilateralism".

• Future-proofing sustainability: making the right choices

The transition to a more sustainable future is a collective responsibility that will require companies to put their supply chains under greater scrutiny and think creatively to attract the right skills.

• Responsibility and reputation

With environmental crimes increasingly in the spotlight, the opening session highlighted the reputational risks companies are facing/face if they fail to put in place the proper checks and balances in their supply chain.

• An engine of shared future growth

Making the supply chain more responsible not only protects against risks, but also represents a huge opportunity to drive prosperity for more people on the planet.

• Trust and transparency

Key challenges hampering the ability of companies to have better oversight of their supply chains are lack of transparency and the multiplicity of actors involved.

• Re-imagine how you define talent

how finding and nurturing talent is key to company growth and competitiveness.

• Innovation, but how exactly?

In a world changing ever more often and abruptly, innovating is not an option so much as a constant need for businesses, in particular micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

• A matter of culture

Constant and sustainable innovation cannot be achieved simply by owning the tools and the knowledge necessary to generate it — at large, it is the product of a culture that enables and fosters creativity and progressive thinking. This is true for businesses of all sizes and across all industries.

• The necessary steps to go digital

Digitalising processes is one of the most evident and tangible ways how innovation comes about, and it is one of the most urgent needs specifically for trade.

• Avoiding litigation for the sake of business

The increasingly fast pace with which major changes come about leaves no room for businesses, in particular MSMEs, to face operational disruptions — for example, those associated with litigation.

• IP rights for all
• Re-imagine globalisation to make it beneficial for all 

With rising geopolitical tensions and protectionism threatening co-operation between countries and international organisations, the first day of the 13^th World Chambers Congress in Geneva tackled the theme of multilateralism, and the role business can play to make it work for everyone, everywhere, every day. 

More information:

https://iccwbo.org/news-publications/news/13th-world-chambers-congress-key-takeaways/