U.S. Chamber Staff

Published

May 15, 2025

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The Group of 7, known as the G7, is a group of the world’s most industrially advanced democracies that meets each year to discuss economic and financial issues. The presidency of the G7 rotates annually among the member countries — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The B7 is the business counterpart of the nations’ forum, representing the interests of the business communities in the G7 countries. The goal of the B7 is to contribute to the G7 agenda by providing the business perspective on major economic issues through recommendations and proposals. The B7 organizes various initiatives and events by bringing together civil society, business, and opinion leaders. They provide a forum for high-level debate on international issues and potential solutions.

Leaders at the B7 Summit in Ottawa.
Leaders at the B7 Summit in Ottawa.

The 2025 B7 Summit and Beyond

U.S. Chamber President and CEO Suzanne Clark participated in the B7 Summit in Ottawa in May, a conference of international business organizations held in advance of the G7. She led the U.S. Chamber of Commerce delegation to the summit, focused this year on strengthening economic security.

At the summit, the B7 released its 2025 Communiqué—a 60-page roadmap to enhance G7 economic resilience and tackle global challenges. The United States will assume the G7 presidency in 2027, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is preparing to take on the role of B7 chair, as is customary for the host nation.

What Does the B7 Do?

It represents the private sector’s voice in G7 discussions by bringing together leading business federations from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, and Germany. The G7 has existed since 1975, and business input into the group was traditionally informal—often channeled through national business associations lobbying their governments or participating in ad hoc meetings. From the 1990s to the early 2000s, the need for a more structured business voice grew. 

As an informal coalition of business organizations, the B7 has no permanent secretariat. Its primary purpose is to provide policy recommendations to the G7, helping shape policies that foster economic growth and harness the talent and innovation of the global business community. 

Why Was the B7 Created?

In 2007, the B7 was initiated by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business associations from G7 countries. At that time, it consisted of a series of informal meetings joined by representatives from these organizations. Today, the B7 has evolved into the principal forum through which G7 governments hear directly from the international business community.

The B7’s leadership structure mirrors that of the G7, with a rotating annual presidency. The country holding the G7 presidency each year also hosts the B7. Typically, a major business confederation or chamber of commerce in the host country leads and organizes B7 activities for the year, working with an advisory board of CEOs and international business leaders to steer the agenda. There are no defined rules for running the B7; the host organization determines how to manage the process. Generally, B7 members meet once a year with the G7 presidency at the B7 Summit to present their recommendations.

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U.S. Chamber Staff