ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the relationship of the G20 with the business sector – of crucial importance to both parties. It then reviews the following special groups and fora: the World Economic Forum (WEF), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Business 20 or ‘Business Summit’ (B20), the Young Entrepreneurs’ Summit and private philanthropies.
The business community is more closely related to the G20 than to the G7/G8. As discussed in Chapter 6, inclusion of the business sector under the broad umbrella of civil society is problematic, and even misplaced. The interests, modus operandi and influence of business are fundamentally different from those of civil society organizations (CSOs). G7/G8 and G20 officials have distinguished between business players and non-profit CSOs, as has the business sector itself. The intensity of the business-G20 relationship far exceeds that between G20 government officials and non-profit CSOs (Alexander, 2012; email to author, 30 July).
