The Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) has explored the role of reporting in conflict-affected areas and offers advice on integrating sustainability reporting with due diligence obligations in a new report. The report identifies five essentials for corporate due diligence during conflict including the need for regular monitoring of changes and impacts, with information required from multiple external sources. It underlined the importance of due diligence, with it “necessary to mitigate and prevent risks and impacts, including the risk of exacerbating the conflict”. The report also described due diligence as a “continuous obligation” for companies operating in conflict-affected areas. Peter Paul van de Wijs, Chief Policy Officer at the GRI, said: “There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach – each company will have specific impacts to consider related to the nature of the conflict, their business model and presence of staff in the conflict area. Transparency brings accountability; it’s what turns the guidelines on due diligence into powerful tools that facilitate action.”
