Business, Conflict & Human Rights

In conflict-affected areas, companies run a high risk of becoming involved in severe human rights violations. PAX investigates and exposes corporate abuses in conflict-affected areas, stands by victims in their struggle for justice and remedy and advocates for effective norms, policies and standards on responsible business conduct and corporate accountability.

Image: IR Stone/Shutterstock

In conflict-affected areas, corporate actors often act as ‘external stress factors’: their presence and operations always impact conflict dynamics. Companies risk aggravating existing conflicts, provoking new ones, or facilitating severe human rights violations, potentially including war crimes. Existing preventive policies and standards often fail to identify and address these impacts, and only in rare cases are companies held accountable for their role in grave human rights abuses in conflict-affected areas.   

For the last 20 years, PAX has been investigating and exposing corporate abuses in conflict-affected areas, standing by victims in their struggle for justice and remedy, and advising companies and governments on better preventative policies and practices. We do this in collaboration with local partner organisations and representatives of affected communities in conflict-affected areas such as South Sudan and Colombia, as well as with international civil society coalitions in Europe. 

Our approach

Our business, conflict and human rights works is aimed at building bridges between local rightsholders in conflict-affected areas and companies and policymakers. In this work, we combine five approaches.

Supporting the advocacy of local rightsholders in conflict-affected areas

Local communities at risk of being negatively affected or already negatively affected by corporate conduct face significant obstacles in voicing their grievances and holding companies accountable. We advocate for and with local rightsholders to ensure they have a ‘seat at the table’ and can effectively defend their rights vis-à-vis companies and governments.  

Targeting supply chain actors

Supply chain actors, such as international importers of raw materials, must ensure their suppliers respect human rights and do not contribute to conflict or human rights violations. They also have a responsibility to avoid contributing to human rights impacts through their own business practices. Together with local rightsholders and with research-based advocacy, we urge these actors to enhance their human rights due diligence policies and practices to bring about meaningful change on the ground. 

Advocating for stronger norms and laws to prevent corporate abuses

Voluntary standards and guidelines for companies have proven insufficient in protecting rightsholders in conflict areas against harmful corporate practices. We push for binding business and human rights laws and regulation and monitor and support their implementation, putting the experiences and interests of local rightsholders at the core.  

Long-term commitment to achieving remedy and justice for victims of corporate abuses

The path to remedy and justice for victims of corporate human rights abuses is long and complex. PAX has maintained a commitment to affected communities in Colombia and South     Sudan for over twenty years, ensuring that their struggles are heard and supported over the  long term – rather than focusing on short-term incidents.

Engaging the financial sector

The financial sector plays a pivotal role in the economy and exerts significant influence over corporate conduct. Financial institutions, such as banks, insurers, and pension funds, have both the ability and the responsibility to take a central role in fostering responsible and conflict-sensitive value chains, particularly in high-risk sectors such as the weapons trade and extractive industries. PAX has a long track record (since 2009) in engaging the financial sector. This started with targeting their investments in companies that produce controversial weapons and has since then extended to advocacy towards and engagement with investors in companies that are involved with human rights violations in the conflict-affected contexts where PAX is active. We use research, campaigning and dialogue as tools to pressure Dutch as well as international investors to take action and make sure they don’t invest in companies that contribute to conflict. Over time, PAX has become a reliable source of information for both campaigners and financial institutions, and the go-to actor for policy makers in governments and the financial sector for advice.  

Our Business, Conflict & Human Rights Projects

Stop Blood Coal

Aimed at remedy for communities in Colombia and justice throughout the coal value chain. 

Unpaid Debt

Aimed at remedy for communities in South Sudan and justice and accountability of the companies involved

Don’t buy into Occupation

Reports that list which financial institutions invest in companies active in the illegally occupied territories in Palestine. 

High-risk Arms Trade

Reports that provide data on weapons producers that sell weapons to areas where the risk of misuse is high. 

Don’t Bank on the Bomb

Provides data on nuclear weapon producers and their financiers, used by disarmament campaigns worldwide. 

Fair Finance Guide

A coalition of organizations worldwide that provides consumer level information on whether financial institutions invest responsibly. (Dutch only)

Stop Explosive Investments

Provides data on producers of cluster munitions and their financiers. This project is no longer updated.