Human rights due diligence in conflict-ridden areas

How do you manage human rights in countries with conflict and war? One answer is thorough due diligence. warfair has a lot of experience in this area and offers plenty of inspiration.

warfair specialises in the importation of products, especially food, from conflict-affected areas to promote peace and better conditions for the civilian population. Trade in conflict areas such as Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan and Congo requires extra due diligence.

Prior to making agreements with a new supplier, warfair prepares a thorough risk assessment, including a country analysis, a screening of the supplier and a questionnaire to be completed and signed by the supplier.

In preparing the risk assessment, warfair works with locally based organisations, contacts and journalists, and with refugees/immigrants from the respective countries (e.g. Somalia, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo), who now live in Denmark. They assist in locating goods and gather information about the companies from their contacts and through internet searches, including searches in local languages. Risk assessments and questionnaires are updated continuously via email and inspections of the production units – both virtual and physical.

Only after the due diligence report is approved by warfair’s ethics committee does warfair launch the goods on the Danish/European market. The ethics committee makes sure that the company’s due diligence meets the highest standards and does not overlook relevant risks. The committee also manages a grievance mechanism where anyone can submit complaints about goods, companies, or employees.

Inspiration
warfair’s due diligence reports, which are published to provide full transparency, offer excellent inspiration for setting up due diligence structures and formulating special policies. You can also find inspiration for your due diligence questions in warfair’s supplier questionnaire and for how to establish a grievance mechanism. All the information is available to be downloaded freely on warfair’s website.

Benefits for people

  • Better opportunities: Thorough due diligence creates opportunities for a better life for families and companies in conflict areas that produce warfair products

warfair on the business benefits from protecting human rights

“Risk assessment is fundamental to our business model, and it brings good results. By reducing the risk from trading with countries in conflict areas, we contribute to the creation of income, jobs and peace while bringing quality products to Danish consumers.”

Christian Friis Bach, founder and director, warfair

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