Great Ideas Need Great Conversations: Why SCB 2026 in collaboration with IICSR, Is More Than Just Another Conference

Every day, incredible work is happening around the world. Researchers are finding new ways to transform agricultural waste into sustainable materials. Businesses are rethinking supply chains. Policymakers are exploring how to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. Communities are testing innovative approaches to make better use of natural resources.

Yet many of these efforts happen in isolation.

One team solves a technical challenge without knowing someone else has already found part of the answer. A company searches for research that already exists. A researcher develops promising ideas but struggles to find the right partners to bring them into practice.

Real progress rarely happens because of one breakthrough alone. 

It happens when people connect.

That's exactly why the Sustainability, Circularity & Bioeconomy Conference (SCB 2026) was created.

Taking place August 18–21, 2026, in Quy Nhon, Vietnam, SCB brings together researchers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, students, and sustainability practitioners who all share one goal: turning knowledge into real-world impact.

Beyond presentations

When people think about conferences, they often imagine sitting through presentations for several days. The reality is often much more exciting.

A keynote might introduce an idea you've never considered.

A poster presentation could spark a conversation that leads to a future collaboration.

A coffee break might connect you with someone facing the same challenge from an entirely different perspective.

Sometimes the most valuable session isn't listed in the program at all. It's the conversation that happens afterwards—where partnerships begin, research finds applications, and new ideas gain momentum.

From science to solutions

The environmental challenges we face today are incredibly complex. 

Reducing waste, creating circular economies, developing bio-based materials, improving sustainable agriculture, protecting forests, or producing renewable energy cannot be solved by one discipline alone.

They require scientists, businesses, governments, NGOs, investors, and communities to work together.

Throughout SCB 2026, participants will explore topics including:

• Circular economy models

• Sustainable agriculture and forestry

• Biomass valorization

• Biorefineries and renewable materials

• Bioeconomy policy

• Public-private partnerships

• Innovative technologies helping accelerate sustainability

But perhaps more importantly, attendees will discover how these different pieces fit together.

The conference is designed not only to share knowledge but also to build the relationships that help ideas move beyond research papers and into real-world implementation.

A community built around shared purpose

This collaborative spirit is one of the reasons the International Institute of Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility (IICSR) partnered with SCB 2026.

Both organizations recognize that solving sustainability challenges requires more than expertise. It requires collaboration across sectors, countries, and disciplines.

Whether your background is in academia, business, government, consulting, or entrepreneurship, learning from people outside your own field can often be just as valuable as hearing from leading experts. 

Because sustainability is ultimately a team effort.

Learn from global experts—and from one another

SCB 2026 features internationally recognized speakers working at the forefront of the bioeconomy, circularity, sustainable forestry, agriculture, and biomass innovation.

Alongside keynote talks, attendees will also discover oral presentations, poster sessions, and discussions showcasing emerging research and practical case studies from around the world.

Rather than simply presenting finished work, these sessions create opportunities to exchange ideas, ask questions, receive feedback, and identify future collaborations.

Everyone attends with something to learn.

And everyone has something to contribute.

Meet the IICSR team at SCB 2026

As part of the conference program, IICSR Founder & Chairperson Harsha Saxena and IICSR US General Manager Kevin Rath will also be participating in SCB 2026.

Their sessions will explore how organizations can accelerate sustainable transformation by connecting innovation with responsible leadership and practical implementation.

If you've followed IICSR's work, this is a wonderful opportunity to continue the conversation in person, ask questions, exchange ideas, and connect with a growing international community committed to creating positive impact.

Join the conversation

The future of sustainability won't be built by one organization.

Or one country.

Or one discipline.

It will be built by people willing to learn from one another, challenge assumptions, share knowledge, and work together toward practical solutions.

Whether you're an experienced researcher, an industry professional, a policymaker, a student, or simply passionate about creating a more sustainable future, SCB 2026 offers an opportunity to expand your perspective, build meaningful connections, and become part of an international community working toward the same goal.

Register here: www.scbconference.com 

We hope you'll join us in Quy Nhon this August—and if you're part of the IICSR community, be sure to stop by and meet Harsha, Kevin, and the many partners helping shape the future of sustainability.

Because great ideas become real-world impact when the right people come together.