On May 6-7, 2025, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation hosted the Building Resilience Conference. Themed "The Resilience Reset," this year's event focused on the growing need for collaborative preparation and recovery in an era where billion-dollar disasters are increasing in both intensity and frequency. Communities around the world face emerging threats, and this year's conference narrowed in on how to build a unified front to create a more resilient nation.
As another Atlantic hurricane season kicks off next month, calls to action grow for preparedness, building on lessons learned from the 27 billion-dollar disasters that impacted the United States in 2024. The economic imperative for disaster preparedness is clear: every $1 invested returns $13 in economic benefits, strengthening the safety and security of our families, businesses, and communities.
The conference convened business leaders, community representatives, and disaster management experts for two days of engaging discussions and interactive sessions, including real-time updates from the "Decision Desk,” scenario planning, and hands-on workshops featuring disaster simulations and future-casting exercises that prepared attendees to implement resilience strategies.
Guests seated in The Great Hall at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Washington, D.C. for the 2025 Building Resilience Conference.
(L to R) Former FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor and Harvard University's Leonard Marcus discuss strategies for leading effectively during crisis.
Nicole Hudnet, segment industry advisor of public safety at T-Mobile for Government, shares how the company is helping first responders and public safety agencies build communication resiliency when they need it most.
(L to R) Marcus Cree, FIS; Jeffrey Schweitzer, Amazon; and Joel Thomas, SPIN Global discuss key resilience topics, such as anticipating risk, balancing extreme weather and national threats, measuring impact of disaster management, and accelerating resilience.
(L to R) The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Marty Durbin sits down with Congressman Chuck Edwards to discuss reforms needed in federal disaster assistance programs to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
(L to R) Jim Kelly, Fiserv and Chris Stallings, SBA join moderator Shanique Streete with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to explore the disaster preparation, strong partnerships, and proactive planning needed to support small business.
(L to R) U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Joe Davis interviews Walmart's Brooks Nelson on takeaways from the conference.
Five Key Takeaways:
- Proactive preparedness delivers significant economic returns. The conference showcased how businesses and communities that invest in proactive risk assessment and take steps to build resilience experience significant cost savings. Scenario planning exercises demonstrated that forward-looking approaches can substantially reduce recovery costs while protecting business continuity during disruptions and speeding up recovery after.
- Streamlined systems create faster, more effective emergency responses. Discussions highlighted how reducing redundancies and barriers leads to faster, more effective responses. Enhancing response efficiency through better cross-sector coordination and simplified processes helps communities bounce back faster.
- Cross-sector partnerships build resilience before disasters strike. Fostering deeper connections and trust between government, business, and community organizations is critical in creating a more resilient nation. Investing in these relationships and recognizing that we're stronger working together enables more effective disaster response and builds resilience before disasters strike.
- Smart investments in preparedness pay off through reduced disaster recovery costs . Conference discussions demonstrated how targeted investments in resilience create significant economic savings. Solutions including those that are nature-based or infrastructure improvements offer effective strategies that provide multiple benefits and economic opportunities for communities.
- Measuring results builds the business case for disaster readiness. Experts emphasized the importance of metrics and measurement frameworks in disaster management. Using data-driven insights to effectively assess resilience initiatives is crucial for guiding future investments and building the economic case for resilience. Accessible interoperable data and information are key to informed decision-making across sectors.
The message is clear: facing an evolving threat landscape that continues to expand amid a backdrop of uncertainties, building a more prepared and resilient nation is an urgent, ongoing journey. This systemic change requires deeper trust, stronger relationships, and true public-private partnerships built during periods of calm. We've seen how businesses must lean in, leveraging their expertise, talent, and capabilities, not just for response but for proactive investment that yields significant returns. The resilience reset is about empowering communities, supporting small businesses, and fostering civic engagement that strengthens community resilience.
Up Next
We invite you to continue exploring these themes of leadership, public-private partnerships, and corporate citizenship by joining us later this year for the Business Solves Conference and our Citizens Awards, where we will honor companies leading the way in corporate citizenship across nine categories, including Best Community Resilience and Disaster Response Program. The event will take place on October 28-29, and nominations for the Citizens Awards are open through Friday, June 20.
About the author
Sydney Lewis
Sydney Lewis is associate communications manager at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
