The question in the title cannot be avoided today. The ongoing war in Ukraine and the war that has (re)started in Israeli-Palestinian territory, as well as other wars and tensions elsewhere on the planet, should be discussed by the Boards of Directors of companies - especially those operating internationally.
These discussions should not take place merely from the point of view of assessing the impacts on the supply chain, the impacts on the markets and all the risks associated with operations, which are obvious and unavoidable business issues. They should be discussed with a view to assessing and deciding what role the company can play in promoting peace in the geographies where it operates.
Timothy Fort says that "trying to make companies more ethical is already a daunting challenge; suggesting that they actually play a constructive role in promoting peace, justice and stability is a little beyond our imagination". Despite recognizing the scale of the challenge, Fort believes, and I agree with him, that companies can and should play an active role in promoting peace, justice and stability.
In order to fulfill this role, as Fort suggests, companies must follow commonly accepted ethical practice recommendations. If they do, they can expect an unexpected impact: these business practices can tend to reduce violence.
The first practice for companies is to actually contribute to the economic development of the countries in which they operate. Companies help countries when they create value in those countries.
The second practice is for companies to promote the rule of law. This means supporting the independence of the judiciary, promoting contract and property law, but above all it means avoiding corruption. There is evidence of a correlation between corruption in countries and the tendency to resolve disputes with violence. Companies that have policies that discourage bribery, for example, contribute to social contexts that are less prone to resolving conflicts through violence.
Finally, the third practice consists of companies contributing to community building. And this can happen on two levels: (1) externally, by promoting and practicing sensitivity to cultural diversity and environmental responsibility in the communities where they operate; (2) internally, by building real communities of workers, promoting effective participation and respect for diversity.
Here is Fort's generic roadmap, for reflection and as a basis for guiding changes in practice. Taken seriously, they will put companies on the path to promoting peace and making a huge contribution to SDG#16.
