Best intentions cannot go far enough

This is one of the chapters of the book ‘Human Security and Business ‘ (Ruffer & Rub, 2008) which includes papers highlighting important considerations concerning business and human rights.

It points out the interconnectedness of severe human rights abuses in violent conflict with certain corporate practices, drawing on examples from Africa, Asia and Latin America, and shows that voluntary initiatives alone are not enough to ensure that companies, particularly in the extractive sector, act as per the law or best practices. While human rights impact assessments and conflict risk assessments are not sufficient, they are necessary in guiding corporate practices, and the paper provides examples from International Alert’s work in implementing ‘Conflict Sensitive Business Practices: Guidance for the Extractive Sector (CSBP)’ with respect to two projects in Colombia.