Resource Center

Businesses in conflict-affected and high-risk contexts face heightened risks of involvement in serious human rights violations. This can lead to severe harm to community members, employees, suppliers, contractors, and customers, as well as reputational damage, operational interruptions, legal liability, and financial penalties for the business. To prevent and mitigate human rights risks in high-risk contexts, companies should go beyond what is required by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) by conducting “heightened” human rights due diligence, i.e. accounting for context and the business’s impact on that context. However, this requires ongoing stakeholder engagement, forward-looking trend analysis, proactive mitigation measures, and localized decision-making. The report explores the risks of doing business in high-risk contexts and gives concrete recommendations for action to companies operating in high-risk contexts.