Products and Services
Click here to learn how to become a member and access the Conflict Risk Network’s (CRN) research and stakeholder services.
Research Services
As of May 31, 2009, CRN conducts the Sudan-related research and engagement services that GI-NET has carried out since 2006. CRN’s mandate also provides for an expansion to address conflict risk in additional countries afflicted by severe conflict (CRN Conflict Zones). CRN Conflict Zones are selected from Areas of Concern identified by GI-NET’s radar methodology and conflict selection process, with input from the CRN Advisory Board.
Within each CRN Conflict Zone, the question of material involvement will determine which companies are researched and profiled in CRN’s country reports. CRN assesses material involvement through four factors: 1) whether a company has direct ties to armed groups and/or a rogue regime; 2) whether a company’s industry sector has direct ties to armed groups and/or rogue regimes; 3) whether a company is complicit in acts of violence; and 4) the question of who benefits from the company’s investment in the country (i.e., marginalized populations, military entities, etc.).
Following the above conflict selection process, CRN’s research is comprised of several key components. CRN members receive:
- quarterly company reports containing in-depth profiles of company operations, relevant risk factors and engagement history (click here to download a sample company profile);
- financial data spreadsheets, updated quarterly and including corporate structure and security identification information drawn from Bloomberg LP and other sources (click here to view a sample financial data sheet);
- annual analysis reports for each CRN Conflict Zone, which include quantitative analyses of each company’s financial performance relative to its peer group; and
- bi-annual CRN analyst briefings to supplement these materials.
Corporate Responsibility Standards
Drawing on established principles and standards, and in consultation with country experts, partner organizations and others, CRN develops corporate responsibility standards and recommendations for responsible corporate behavior in each CRN Conflict Zone. While these standards apply on a per-conflict basis, standards and recommendations are tailored per-company, as CRN’s engagement process takes account of each company’s unique situation in a given conflict zone.
CRN’s corporate responsibility standards focus on three main categories: 1) humanitarian support, 2) operational impact, and 3) political engagement.
The humanitarian support standards serve to help mitigate companies’ problematic revenue streams or local impacts through support for humanitarian programs promoting peace and stability in areas affected by these revenue streams or by company operations.
The operational impact standards ensure that companies address on-the-ground risks related to or created by their operations, such as security and community impact, through Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs), Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and other practices.
The political engagement standards encourage companies to utilize spheres of influence in the conflict area and to engage actively in collaborative networks such as the United Nations Global Compact.
While CRN strongly promotes the adoption of corporate responsibility standards that allow companies to remain in-country responsibly, certain cases, such as those involving the weapons-trade, may warrant a recommendation of full cessation of business activities in the CRN Conflict Zone.
Engagement Services
CRN conducts two levels of engagement with each company identified as materially involved in each CRN Conflict Zone. Level One engagement ensures the quality and integrity of CRN’s company reports and other research materials. CRN takes comprehensive steps to contact all companies prior to their placement in the quarterly company reports, allowing for confirmation of information and the inclusion of company perspective.
Level Two engagement, which CRN conducts on behalf of CRN Members, involves direct engagement with companies to encourage them to implement the relevant corporate responsibility standards developed by CRN. CRN takes comprehensive steps, in which CRN members have the opportunity to participate directly (or to opt out), to contact and engage each company. Progress through Level Two engagement is reported in CRN’s quarterly company reports.
Click here to learn how to become a member and access CRN’s research and stakeholder services.