Training and resources for businesses and security personnel

Practical Guidance Document: Doing Responsible Business in Armed Conflict

Globalisation continues to offer new opportunities for businesses to expand operations and value-chains into new territories around the world. These include unstable and insecure environments and countries affected by, or prone to, armed conflict.  As a result, the corporate sector faces new and unfamiliar risks.

This publication aims to assist Australian businesses in understanding their risks, rights and responsibilities under international humanitarian law. It has been specifically designed to provide an overview for managers and executives, and supplements existing human rights-oriented guidance documents.

Seven Indicators of Corporate Best Practice in International Humanitarian Law

Australian Red Cross and RMIT University have developed seven indicators of corporate best practice in international humanitarian law as a guide for the corporate sector. These indicators aim to assist businesses in enhancing their human rights due diligence by effectively integrating IHL into companies’ existing business and human rights frameworks.

Integrating these best practice indicators into your company’s way of doing business will not only enhance your ability to assess and manage the risks associated with international humanitarian law and armed conflict but will also improve your personnel’s understanding of their obligations and protections under international law and better safeguard the lives and dignity of those communities where your operations and business activities take place.