Beyond the classroom: Why training is not enough to effectively implement the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs)

“We were protesting peacefully when the shooting began. They didn’t even give us a chance…”[1]

In August 2012, a labour strike over pay and living conditions at the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa resulted in a tragic escalation, as police opened fire on the protesting miners, killing 34 and injuring at least 70 others.

The Farlam Commission of Inquiry, set up to investigate the incident, criticised the police and the mining company Lonmin for their handling of the strike, noting failures in negotiation and non-violent conflict resolution. Although the company’s policies referenced the VPs, there was no evidence that the police or the private security forces at Lonmin had implemented them, which could have helped prevent the violent escalation.

In our experience, this superficial referencing and lack of adequate adoption of the VPs is not unique. When we conduct site assessments, we regularly ask companies, ‘How do you implement the Voluntary Principles (on Security and Human Rights)?’ The typical answer is that the company provides training on human rights to (some of) its staff. Whilst training on human rights is rarely a bad thing, this alone is insufficient to implement the VPs fully. Even if the training includes modules on the appropriate use of force or arrest procedures, it’s not enough. The VPs require a more integrated approach.

To truly implement the VPs, a company must take a fuller approach to its security practices, assess risks in its operating environment, and, crucially, develop engagement strategies for its interactions with private (e.g., security contractors) and public (e.g., the armed forces) security providers.

The VPs were established in 2000 through a collaborative dialogue between companies, governments, and NGOs. They consist of 33 principles, of which only two are explicitly dedicated to training. So, if the VPs aren’t primarily about training, what are they about?

The VPs are a framework designed to prevent security-related human rights abuses. They aim to help companies maintain the safety and security of their operations while upholding respect for human rights. This task is challenging, especially in politically, economically and socially complex environments.

The VPs acknowledge that companies don’t operate in isolation and that adequate security management requires collaboration with governments and public security forces (e.g. police and military), which are primarily responsible for maintaining law and order. The VPs further recognise that managing security-related risks requires a deep understanding of conflict risk factors and on-the-ground realities. Finally, because security functions are often outsourced to private security providers, the VPs consider how companies manage their interaction with private security firms.

To help companies manage these complex interdependencies, the VPs are divided into three categories of principles to assist companies in developing responsible security practices.

• Part I focuses on the principles of assessing risks in complex environments.
• Parts II and III guide companies in managing their relationships with public and private security forces.

[1] A witness comment from an anonymous miner following the Marikana platinum mine incident in South Africa in August 2012.

Companies committed to enhancing their security and human rights performance should consider an integrated approach to security when developing a VPs implementation plan. So, what does this look like in practice? Actions in a plan to implement the VPs could include:

1. Transparency in security arrangements: an agreement with the host government to make security arrangements publicly accessible, encouraging transparency and building stakeholder trust. (VPs, part II, principle 3)
2. Responsible equipment provision: before a company provides equipment (e.g., 4×4 vehicles, radios, or facilities to local police), it conducts a risk assessment and establishes controls to prevent misuse of the equipment. (VPs, part I, principle 6)
3. Due diligence on private security: updating due diligence processes to ensure a background review is completed before employing private security personnel to ensure that the security provider aligns with human rights standards. (VPs, part III, principle 12)

Moving beyond training

True implementation of the VPs requires multiple actions. The first critical step is recognising that a few training sessions alone will not suffice.