International Network for Economics and Conflict

Written by John Forrer, Timothy L. Fort, and Raymond Gilpin, United States Institute of Peace

While the notion of business fostering peace is becoming well established in the academic literature, relatively scant attention is devoted to policies or strategies to promote potentially positive synergies in conflict-affected and fragile regions. In 2010, the U.S. Institute of Peace’s Center for Sustainable Economies convened a high-level task force, in partnership with George Washington University’s Institute for Corporate Responsibility, to examine the rationale for business practices in challenging environments and propose steps that international and external players could take to promote conflict-sensitive business practices that augur well for shared prosperity and stability. Preliminary findings were presented at the Business for Peace Summit in Oslo, Norway, in October 2011. This report synthesizes task force deliberations and presents a set of recommendations for stakeholders. It also identifies research questions that merit further investigation.

Read the report here.