SECURITY

Enhancing Corporate Compliance with Security and Human Rights Standards (South Africa, Peru and New Caledonia)

Background

Our client required specialised expertise to guide and facilitate an internal audit of the implementation of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR) and the corporate Security Standard at key sites.

Description

We began by tailoring our VPSHR compliance assessment framework to align with the company’s specific audit requirements. This customised framework incorporated essential elements from the company’s own Security Standard. To ensure a comprehensive and effective audit process, we conducted extensive training for three of our INCAS VPSHR in-country experts. This training encompassed not only the use of the adapted assessment framework but also emphasised the application of safe, secure, and conflict-sensitive field research methods.

Our trained experts then joined with the client’s Internal Audit teams, embarking on site visits to key locations, including Peru, South Africa, and New Caledonia. A central INCAS expert, specialising in both VPSHR and security and human rights, served as the co-ordinator for the site experts. This central expert was responsible for gathering and harmonising assessments, addressing cross-cutting issues, and overseeing matters such as Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with public security providers, private security provider contracts, the quality of risk assessments, VPSHR training materials, and ad hoc interpretations of the VPSHR on specific issues (such as drone usage, specific firearm protocols, support to police and military units, etc.).

Our final deliverables included specific recommendations aimed at assisting sites in enhancing their implementation of the VPSHR.

Outcome

The outcome was a well-grounded and thoroughly substantiated audit report evaluating the company’s adherence to the VPSHR and the internal Security Standard. This audit was characterised by its collaborative nature, timely input, and, as always, there were no safety or security incidents during its implementation.