Conflict Prevention/Peace-building
Although Governments have the primary responsibility for peace and stability, companies have an important role to play in contributing to security and development. A company’s decisions - on employment, security arrangements, relations with local communities, among many other issues - can exacerbate existing tensions and lead to conflict, or help a country to re-build after conflict.
Companies have an interest in peace and stability. Lack of a predictable political and economic framework and increased violence disrupts production and supply lines, increases operating costs and delays completion of planned business activities. For companies of all sizes, being operational in "conflict-prone", "weak" or "post-conflict" countries poses a number of dilemmas for which there are no easy answers.
The work of the Global Compact on “The Role of the Private Sector in Zones of Conflict” began in the form of a Policy Dialogue launched in 2001 with a series of international and country-level workshops resulting in a series of policy papers, tools and guidance. The Compact provides a dynamic forum where all stakeholders in society can come together to help mitigate the negative impact of business investments and enhance the capacity of companies to make a positive contribution to peace and development. The Global Compact Office encourages companies to share their experiences and lessons learned with a view to assisting others to become more conflict-sensitive in their approach.
In 2008, the Global Compact Office in collaboration with signatories of the Principles for Responsible Investment, will create a working group focused on exploring the links between the fiduciary duty of investors, the protection of human rights, and the social and environmental sustainability of communities in conflict-prone states with a view to identifying practical options for companies and investors.
Contact
Melissa Powell (powell1@un.org)
(Last update 12 December, 2007)
