The Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC) is a global sustainability platform for leading minds from politics, business, science, civil society, and multilateral organisations. In times of increasing geopolitical crises, the HSC as an independent platform aims to facilitate new alliances, promote a partnership-based exchange between representatives from leading economies and emerging societies and empower the private sector to contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The conference offers a new high-level format that serves as a stepping stone to jointly develop solutions for the necessary socio-ecological transformation. HSC 2025 will take place on June 2-3, 2025 in the Hamburg City Hall and the Chamber of Commerce.
The first HSC took place October 7-8, 2024 in the Hamburg City Hall and the Chamber of Commerce. The world needs new momentum on the way to the Sustainable Development Goals. This is because global crises and conflicts of interest slow down their implementation. People in the Global South carry the main burden. There needs to be a space for trusting dialogue and partnership-based collaboration to reach the goals faster in an increasingly difficult environment. The HSC initiators understand the activation of the private sector as a key lever for SDG progress and action. The Hamburg Sustainability Conference provides a link between political summits, the private sector and civil society.
The Hamburg Sustainability Conference was initiated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Michael Otto Foundation and the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. The non-for-profit company Hamburg Sustainability Conference gGmbH is the organizer of the conference.
The HSC program is developed in co-creation with partners and sustainability leaders from all sectors. The conference agenda consists of three central forums: 1. Reshaping the International Financial Architecture; 2. Unleashing Investments for SDGs; 3. Leveraging Transformation. Forum three comprises Hubs with SDG-based nexus topics that change annually. The HSC 2025 hubs are Future Cities, Green Logistics and Mobility, Retaining Biodiversity, Responsible AI and Digitization, Sustainability in Times of Crisis and Fragility and Health. The conference program tables discussions, expert talks, business presentations, pitches, workshops and more.
The conference aims to encourage new partnerships and empower the private sector for SDG commitment. Global decision-makers from politics, business, science, and civil society will mutually work towards political breakthroughs and introduce new solutions ready to be implemented and scaled within the planetary boundaries. Multilateral alliances will advocate for scalable projects and progressive policies. The Hamburg Sustainability Conference is driven by the vision that socio-ecological transformation requires interdisciplinary and trustful collaboration among the international community.
Around 1,600 international guests are expected at the HSC. High-ranking state and government representatives, decision-makers from business, science, civil society, multilateral organizations and media representatives from leading economies, emerging markets and developing economies are invited to attend. The Hamburg Sustainability Week, which offers events and workshops around Hamburg for city residents and international guests, will take place from 1-6 June 2025.
Please note that the HSC is an invite-only event, and self-registration is not possible. The Hamburg Sustainability Week (HSW) is open to everyone, but some events require registration in advance.
The Hamburg Sustainability Conference aims to provide a space that enables new action-oriented sustainability alliances and a trusting dialog between political decision-makers, private sector leaders and representatives from academia and civil society. The aim is to jointly develop solutions for the necessary socio-ecological transformation and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Hamburg Sustainability Conference does not see itself as a one-time event, but as a process with numerous activities during the year to ensure a sustainable impact worldwide. Between the annual conferences, the HSC convenes Round Tables throughout the year to connect relevant stakeholder groups and experts around specific sustainability topics. Each annual conference is prepared in co-creation processes, which are designed to prepare tangible outcomes, strong commitments and scalable solutions together with international partners.
At the Hamburg Sustainability Conference we believe in measurable progress toward a more equitable, sustainable world. We approach event organization and sustainability management with an outcome-driven agenda, the willingness to constantly improve, and by combining innovative solutions with responsible, entrepreneurial action. We are committed to environmental stewardship, resource efficiency, social responsibility, and the highest quality standards in everything we do. Our areas of action are: Climate Protection & Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Design & Circular Materials, Responsible Partnerships & Inclusive Participation. We partner with Green Events Hamburg to ensure through network-based learning, best practices and a strict audit, that all our events meet the highest standards of sustainable event management.