Published
August 24, 2026
To realize greater economic growth, business and government must work together. Governments set the framework for growth through smart, predictable public policy. And businesses have the essential role of deciding where to invest, who to hire, which markets to enter and how to compete. In 2009, as the global financial crisis reshaped the economic order, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, alongside a coalition of international business federations, helped create a new way for the private sector to engage on the policies that impact the global economy: The Business 20 (B20).
Seventeen years later, the United States and the U.S. Chamber will host the B20 Summit for the first time, convening thousands of business leaders from around the world on November 9-11 in Washington, DC for the B20 USA Summit. The B20 USA will harness the collective voice of the global business community to advance policies that strengthen America’s competitiveness and make the United States the premier destination for investment.
Highly selective and invitation-only, the B20 is a rare opportunity to engage at the highest levels of global commerce.
From a Global Crisis to a Global Business Voice
The 2008 financial crisis reified the G20’s role as a forum for global economic coordination. As governments worked to address the crisis, the business community lacked a direct and effective mechanism to engage directly in the process.
The U.S. Chamber saw the opportunity to change that. Working with business organizations across the G20 economies, it helped establish the B20 as the private sector engagement forum for our G20 governments. The B20 unites business leaders from the world’s 20 largest economies to advocate for policies that drive growth and prosperity around the world.
From the beginning, the B20 was designed to create a credible and flexible process for business leaders to identify priorities that would have the most direct and immediate impact on economic growth.
Building a Global Platform for Business
Over the years, the role of the B20 evolved alongside G20 and other multilateral fora. The B20 agenda has expanded from trade and investment to digital commerce, energy security, supply chains, and innovation.
Through each cycle, the B20 has provided business leaders with a platform to turn shared priorities into action and engage governments on the most urgent economic challenges and opportunities. The U.S. Chamber has remained deeply engaged throughout, ensuring American business has a voice as the global economic agenda evolves.
The principle behind the B20 has remained constant. Business is not simply affected by economic policy. It has a critical role in shaping it.
More B20 Resources
Why the B20 USA is Different
The United States has participated in every past B20 cycles but has never hosted one. That changes this November.
Under the leadership of B20 Co-Chairs Suzanne Clark and Ross Perot, Jr., the U.S. Chamber is hosting a B20 unlike any other. From policymaking to dealmaking, the Summit will give attendees an opportunity to turn dialogue into deals, investments, and outcomes that spur greater economic growth. The B20 USA Summit will put the world’s leading private sector voices in one place at a critical moment for the global economy.
Hosting the B20 means setting the agenda, convening the most influential voices, and driving a process focused on outcomes. The B20 Summit is a unique opportunity to strengthen commercial relationships and position the United States as the premier destination for foreign investment.
Bringing the B20 Home
For American businesses, B20 USA is an opportunity to engage global leaders, shape the policies that govern international commerce and build the relationships that drive investment and growth.
The impact of this growth is felt in local communities across the country in the form of more jobs, more opportunity, and higher wages.
The B20 started from a simple belief. Business should have a voice in decisions shaping the global economy. This year, those conversations are happening in the capital city of the world’s most dynamic economy.
Senior business leaders who want to help shape the future of global growth and network with representatives from 75% of global trade can request an invitation to the B20 USA here. Space is limited.
About the author
Jen Scungio
Jen Scungio is the Senior Director, Editorial and Digital Media at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
