How Inclusive and Responsible Business and Waste Summit Are Reshaping Cambodian Business
SMEs showcasing their products at the summit exhibition. Photo: Oxfam
Cambodia’s journey toward sustainable development took a decisive step forward in Siem Reap on October 24–25, 2025. The convergence of the Inclusive and Responsible Business (IRB) Forum and Waste Summit Cambodia 2025 became a catalyst for change, showing
that economic growth, social equity, and environmental stewardship are not only compatible but mutually reinforcing.
Organized by Oxfam, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), and the Sustainable Business Alliance (SBA), the two-day event is already reshaping the SME ecosystem, with ripple effects reaching across the country.
On the first day, the IRB Forum brought together 150 participants from government, SMEs, and civil society. The discussions moved beyond theory to practical steps embedding inclusivity into supply chains, advancing gender equality, and strengthening social protection.
Oskar Haq, Oxfam's Program Manager, during his welcome remarks at the Inclusive and Responsible Business (IRB) Forum and Waste Summit Cambodia 2025. Photo: Oxfam
“An economy that leaves people behind is not a strong economy; it is a brittle one. For Cambodia, Inclusive Responsible Business is not a luxury or a charity, it is the only viable blueprint for resilient and shared national success.”
SMEs showcasing their products at the summit exhibition. Photo: Oxfam
Momentum grew on the second day with the Waste Summit, which drew more than 400 participants and 50 exhibitors. For Siem Reap, a tourism hub struggling with waste management, the summit offered real solutions such as organic waste innovations, smart systems, and business matching sessions that linked start-ups with investors. The energy of innovators, policymakers, and responsible businesses turned waste into opportunity and sustainability into a shared mission.
The symbolic opening of the “Local Wonders Box,” featuring Kampot pepper and silk, captured the spirit of the event. It showed how sustainability can be woven into cultural pride and community enterprise, a model now inspiring SMEs beyond Siem Reap.
The true impact of these forums lies in the strengthened SBA platform, which is building a national ecosystem for collaboration. SMEs are now adopting circular practices, accessing green finance, and creating fairer supply chains. From ground-level innovations to national policy dialogue, the 2025 IRB Forum and Waste Summit have solidified a shared commitment: driving Cambodia’s transition to an inclusive, circular economy where business is a force for a greener and fairer society.