Unlocking the Peace Premium

by Jason Miklian, Mark van Dorp, and John Katsos

Perhaps the most universal mechanism is for companies to integrate peace considerations into their core business practices. This means conducting business in a way that avoids exacerbating conflict and actively mitigates tensions. The evidence suggests that businesses focusing on inclusive, fair, and transparent operations tend to enjoy more stable environments and better reputations, creating a virtuous cycle of peace and prosperity.
Successful peace outcomes depend not just on what a company does but how it does it. Initiatives are most effective when they are intentional in their peace goals, tailored to local conflict dynamics, and carried out in consultation with affected communities.

This research report from IDEAS’ UN Business and Human Security Initiative, and commissioned by Interpeace’s Finance for Peace Initiative, is designed to deliver a conceptual and evidentiary basis of how businesses and the private sector can better contribute to peace outcomes. The report - authored by Jason Miklian, Mark van Dorp and John Katsos - presents a comprehensive evidence-based summary of how businesses have positively impacted peace, drawing on case studies and dissecting the mechanisms through which companies can affect peace in different sectors. 

 The report shows that in many places and contexts, companies have made positive contributions to safety and security, social peace, and political peace, but these positive impacts are conditional and not guaranteed. This evidence is critical to build communities of practice, helping companies develop peace-enhancing mechanisms and incentivising the private sector to realise peace impacts while de-risking their investment and business approaches.

Read the Report:

Unlocking the Peace Premium