BHR in conflict-affected areas

After decades of occupation, the civilian population of Gaza is facing further collective punishment including military bombardment, constituting clear breaches of international humanitarian law by Israel, following killings and hostage-taking of Israeli civilians by Hamas on 7 October.

While the international community has immense responsibility to help bring this humanitarian crisis to an end, secure the release of hostages, and end the occupation, business also has an immediate responsibility to ensure it is not contributing to the horrific killings of Palestinian civilians in Gaza or exacerbating the human suffering across the region.

For business and investors, the international standards in conflict are clearly defined by the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), supplemented with guidance from the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, as well as the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights and UN Development Programme. These demand heightened human rights due diligence regarding their operations and supply chains, proportionate to the scale and severity of the risks to people.

To encourage companies to deliver transparent due diligence, cross-company learning, and to support responsible investor engagement, BHRRC is beginning a survey and tracker of companies’ heightened due diligence, as we have done for other conflicts.

While this violence continues, companies in this broader zone of conflict must be far more diligent to ensure they are not exacerbating or contributing to the conflict. The harm they can contribute to civilians is immense, as are the legal and reputational risks they run if they ignore their responsibilities.