This section provides guidance on identifying and mitigating potential social and human rights impacts on external stakeholders related to a site’s security arrangements. The focus of this section is not on protecting or securing a site and its workers, but rather avoiding harm to, or conflict with, external stakeholders caused by public or private sector security. This section therefore outlines a cross-functional approach with an emphasis on coordination and collaboration between security (or protection services) and social performance functions.

This section is aligned with IFC Performance Standards (IFC PS), the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs) and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).

Box 4E.1 Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs)

Established in 2000, the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs) are a set of principles designed to guide companies in maintaining the safety and security of their operations within an operating framework that encourages respect for human rights. Anglo American is a participant in the VPs.

IFC Performance Standard 4

IFC Performance Standard 4 requires companies to consider the impacts their security arrangements might have on local communities and:

• assess potential impacts posed by its security arrangements to those within and outside the project site
• assess and document risks and/or impacts arising from the site’s use of government security personnel deployed to provide security services for the site.
• investigate allegations of unlawful acts by security personnel.

Specifically, this section:

• describes the range and nature of potential security-related social and human rights impacts and risks
• details the requirement to assess potential security-related social and human rights impact and risks
• outlines the coordination and cross-functional collaboration required to prevent and manage potential social and human rights impacts and risks
• provides guidance on contractual language for contracts with private security
• provides guidance on working towards a Memorandum of Understanding with public security forces
• provides guidance on human rights-focused training programs for security providers

Intended users

The intended users of this section are primarily the social performance, security, and risk management teams. Other functions, notably legal, supply chain, international government relations and S&SD, should be aware of security arrangements and associated risks and impacts. Contractors, especially security contractors, also need to be aware of the guidance in this section.

Relevance to other sections

Planning for and management of security involves several Social Way guidance sections:

• Governance (Section 1)
  • Social Performance Management Committee (SPMC) – security management is cross-functional and requires both coordination and collaboration between different departments. The SPMC provides the primary mechanism for ensuring that security provision is understood by all relevant functions.
• Review and Planning (Section 2):
  • The internal and external context review provides information needed for the annual security assessments.
• Engagement and Assessment (Section 3)
  1. Stakeholder Engagement (3A) – engagement with local communities helps sites understand security-related concerns. Public and private security providers are key stakeholders and should be included in stakeholder mapping and engagement processes.
  2. Incident and Grievance Management (3B) – complaints about a site’s security arrangements may be lodged via the site’s grievance process. Security-related grievances and incidents should be investigated as per the guidance in Section 3B.
  3. Social and Human Rights Impact and Risk Analysis (3C) – potential social and human rights risks and impacts related to public or private security providers should included in SHIRA/the Baseline WRAC.
• Impact and Risk Prevention and Management (Section 4)
  1. Contractor Social Management (4B) – all private security providers should be procured following the Group Contractor Performance Management Standard.
  2. Community health and safety (4C) – potential community health and safety related risks and impacts related to a site’s security arrangements must be assessed and managed.
  3. Conflict management (4J) – public or private security providers are likely to be stakeholders in conflict management and may also be targets if there is a conflict between the site and local communities.
  4. Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (4K) – any security arrangements that are part of management actions to avoid or manage artisanal and small-scale mining at a site must meet the VPSHR requirements.