Bel Chellingworth – MC & Keynote Speaker on Circular Economy, ESG, & Sustainability & Waste
Inspiring Change Through Real Stories
Bel Chellingworth is an engaging MC and keynote speaker who brings warmth, humour, and heart to every event. Known for demystifying waste, recycling, and the circular economy, Bel connects audiences with practical, actionable ways to make a difference.
Whether she’s hosting a summit, delivering a keynote on ESG (Environment, Social, Governance), or leading a community discussion, Bel helps people see how small actions can lead to big impact.
About Bel
Affectionately known as a ‘Garbologist’, Bel has built her career helping organisations and communities understand what sustainability really means in practice. Her approachable style and wealth of on-the-ground experience make her an audience favourite - whether she’s in front of corporate professionals, local councils, or not-for-profits.
Bel is passionate about empowering people to move from awareness to action. Her talks aren’t about theory- they’re about real stories, local impact, and the steps that can be taken to drive positive environmental change.
Speaking Topics
Demystifying Waste, Recycling and the Circular Economy
Bel helps audiences unpack the buzzwords, myths and realities behind waste and recycling, showing how a circular approach can create value for business and community.
Circular Economy
From circular business models, sustainable packaging, procurement, food waste, construction and designing systems to reduce waste, Bel covers a wide array of topics and material types.
ESG and Business
With ESG and circular economy increasingly on the radar, and often a messy space, Bel breaks these down into how it can all work at a practical level, decoding responsibilities across government, industry, supply chains and individual organisations, where understanding people, places and processes are paramount!
Why Book Bel
- Authentic, relatable, and down-to-earth delivery that resonates with audiences
- Deep practical knowledge of circular economy and sustainability
- Experienced MC, facilitator and storyteller, skilled at keeping events flowing with professionalism, warmth and humour
- Versatile, and tailors every session to the audience - corporate, government, or community
- Leaves audiences energised, entertained, informed, and ready to take action.
Recent Conference Events
Bel has hosted and spoken at a range of sustainability and community events, including:
Ali Lawes, Event Director, ReGen Expo
Bel Emceed the Circularity Stage of our inaugural ReGen Expo, Australia’s only event covering the full circular resource supply chain.
She seamlessly and professionally kept our program flowing, tying each session together quickly, with her extensive knowledge of circular economy, natural stage presence and relatability.
Bel brought an undeniable warmth and joy to the role, which was apparent in our audience and speakers’ response and feedback. She reads the room, adapting her style thoughtfully between Welcome to Country, thought leaders and our Innovation Pitch Fest.
She was thoroughly prepared, energetic and held the structure throughout our event.
In the Media
Bel regularly contributes to discussions around sustainability and circular economy in Australian media. Her insights have been featured in TV, print, podcasts and radio.
Bel’s regular segment ‘Waste Not Want Not’ on ABC Radio Nightlife is broadcast nationally Fridays - facts, fun and sass a must!
Book Bel
Ready to bring energy, clarity and heart to your next event? Contact Bel to discuss your event needs or to tailor a talk for your audience.
Upcoming Speaking Events
Sustainability Business Live 2026
Bel will be Keynoting on the state of circularity in business, then moderating a panel with sustainability leaders from Guzman y Gomez, Delaware North Companies Australia, 3XN and Cirque du Soil.
Bel will be moderating the panel Food Waste in Practice – Turning Surplus into Value at Scale, alongside sector leaders including Ronni Kahn AO (OzHarvest), Daniel Moorfield (SecondBite), Rose Gooding (Goodman Fielder) and Katy Barfield OAM (Commercialising Sustainability).
Recent Speaking Events
Rethinking Food Waste: Design, Rescue and Circular Value Creation Webinar 2026
Bel designed the event, hosted by Boomerang Labs, and joined a panel of industry leaders, drawing on practical case studies and implementation experience; the discussion focused on circular value creation, food rescue and the systems needed to turn good intentions into scalable outcomes.
Catch it all up here - or simply scroll to 17:50 to catch the latest from Bel on business, economics and real world case studies.
MC Circularity Stage - ReGen 2025
Bel Chellingworth emceed the Circularity Stage of ReGen – Australia’s largest event connecting the entire materials value chain. From keynotes on policy and systems thinking, panels on real world projects, and even a Pitch Fest for circular entrepreneurs, the two day agenda draws people from industry, government and innovators, to collaborate and fast-track Australia’s transition to a circular economy.
The 2025 event was held 23–24 July 2025 at ICC Sydney. The Circularity Stage spotlighted design innovation, systems thinking, policy, and research, helping attendees rethink how circularity is embedded from the start. Sessions explored upstream approaches and featured leading voices shaping Australia’s circular future.
Waste at Woodfordia 2025
Bel teamed up again with legends Chris Shervey (Site Manager) and Craig Miller (Head of Garbology) to open the Festival talks program with a session exploring the long-standing reuse system - avoiding more than 250,000 single-use cups, festival and event waste, the brand new trial washing station and my extremely made up but also extremely legitimate Awards ceremony for progress States and Territories have made on packaging.
Opening and Closing Panel, Australasian Packaging Conference 2025
Bel joined Dr Nicole Garofano (Planet Ark) and Pippa Corry (Philo & Co) to open the bi-annual conference, hosted by the Australasian Institute of Packaging (AIP).
The conference brings together APAC leaders in packaging, and the trio opened the conference with a discussion of circularity, and they provided closing remarks for the event too.
Procurement for Circularity Panel, Green Building Day Sydney 2025
Green Building Day Sydney brings together leaders from the property and built environment sectors to explore latest thinking, projects and practical solutions.
Bel joined a panel alongside industry representatives from GHD and BlueScope to discuss the practical realities of circular procurement, including dematerialisation, case studies and collaboration across supply chains.
From Waste to Worth Panel, Global Sourcing Expo 2025
Bel chaired this session alongside Yesha Patel, Founder of after. The discussion explored textile circularity, global reprocessing capability and emerging opportunities to transform textile waste into valuable new products and materials.
Drawing on international examples and real-world case studies, the session highlighted both the challenges and momentum building within circular fashion and textile recovery systems.
Keynote at Australian Reuse Conference
Every Item Counts – Enabling a Modern Day Garbologist
Bel was invited by the CEO of Charitable Reuse Australia to deliver an inspiring, fun and insightful keynote on her experience with the sector….she had a blast – each story the uncut version!
DATE: 24 October 2024
