In its observer capacity, Ipieca attended the 2025 Annual Plenary Meeting of the Voluntary Principles Initiative (VPI) in London between 18 and 21 March. This year’s Plenary marked 25 years since the formation of the VPI.
The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights are an internationally recognised set of principles that guide companies on how to conduct their security operations while ensuring respect for human rights. To promote implementation of the Principles, the VPI was created.
Annual meetings are organised to allow representatives from companies, governments and civil society to share experiences, learn and discuss ways to reduce the risks of human rights violations and abuse in security operations.
Key topics of discussions included:
- The importance of building trust, by opening dialogue with communities and workers and through responsive and transparent operational grievance mechanisms
- The particular context for the implementation of the Principles in Latin America with a dedicated panel providing insights from government representatives, business initiatives, companies and NGOs
- Challenges and best practices related to the use of information and communication technology by private security companies. The International Code of Conduct Association presented a new toolkit from boots on the ground to bytes in cyberspace: a comprehensive toolkit for the responsible use of technologies by private security companies, developed with ICT4 peace
- Scenario-based discussions to reflect on the responsibilities of companies in conflict-affected areas based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the UN Working group report and the use of the VPI conflict Analysis Tool to analyse pre-existing conflict drivers and understand risks and mitigate conflict in operational context
- Approaches to integrating human rights defenders into company policies and the use of the VPI Human rights defenders guidance
This year’s meeting was also an opportunity to:
- Thank the USA chair for its work as government chair and welcome the UK in its place for the next two years
- Welcome OMV as a full and engaged member of the VPI
- Meet and engage with the VPI In-country working groups (Brazil, Colombia, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria and Peru)
- Facilitate discussions between companies, NGOs, governments and civil society
- Share knowledge, good practices and hear from companies as part of implementation review including a presentation from bp
