World Design Congress

Description

The World Design Congress London 2025 (9–11 September at the Barbican Centre) brought together over 1,000 designers, business leaders, academics, and policymakers under the theme “Design for Planet.” Returning to London for the first time since 1969, the Congress explored how design can tackle the climate and nature crises, with discussions spanning zero emissions, circular economies, regenerative design, and biodiversity stewardship. Keynote speakers included Kate Raworth, Mariana Mazzucato, Leyla Acaroglu, Charlot Magayi, and Alexei Levence, while a highlight was the awarding of the WDO World Design Medal 2025 to Dieter Rams for his enduring contribution to sustainable design. Positioned as a catalytic moment, the event aimed not only to share ideas but to influence global policy, education, and practice, advancing the upskilling of designers in green design for 2030.

177 speakers from 19 countries, aged 5 to 91
24 sessions and 16 hours of on-demand content
1,000 delegates in person and 1,700 online registrations
Attendees from 81 countries
330 C-Suite delegates
160 universities represented and 108 student attendees
32 government speakers and attendees, including UK ministers
36 journalists, including official media partners Dezeen and Financial Times
A combined press reach of over 48 million
More than 175 LinkedIn posts, reaching over 1 million people so far

Period	10 Sept 2025
Degree of Recognition	International