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Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights

What are the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights?


A multi-stakeholder initiative, which was set up in 2000 by the FCO and US State Department, the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs) and which includes governments, NGOs and companies.

The VPs aim to provide guidance to companies operating in the extractive industries, ensuring the safety of their personnel and security of installations in insecure environments, whilst at the same time respecting human rights.

They are global and generic, and are a tool for improving standards, but they do not attempt to provide a one size fits all approach to preventing human rights abuse

The VPs provide the only human rights guidelines designed specifically for oil, gas, and mining companies.

By ensuring that human rights are upheld, it is hoped that the VPs will help reduce tension between the companies and the communities in which they work.  

Who else is involved?

4 Governments:

  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Norway
  • Netherlands
Canada and Columbia have been accepted as engaged countries.

8 NGOs:
  • Amnesty International
  • The Fund for Peace
  • Human Rights Watch
  • Human Rights First
  • International Alert
  • IKV Pax Christi
  • Oxfam
  • Pact Inc

17 Companies:
  • Anglo American plc
  • AngloGold Ashanti
  • BG Group
  • BHP Billiton
  • BP
  • Chevron Corporation
  • ConocoPhillips
  • ExxonMobile
  • Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc
  • Hess Corporation
  • Marathon Oil Company
  • Newmont Mining Corporation
  • Occidental Petroleum Corp
  • Rio Tinto plc
  • Shell
  • Statoil
  • Talisman Energy Inc

3 Observers:
  • International Committee of the Red Cross
  • International Council on Mining & Metals
  • International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association

Why implement the Voluntary Principles?

The obligation to uphold human rights principles rests with governments. But other actors in society – including business – have a moral responsibility to act in a way that does not negatively impact the enjoyment of human rights, particularly of those people directly affected by their operations.

Extractive companies therefore have a unique opportunity in the countries where they operate to ensure high standards of conduct by the private security forces they employ, a positive impact on local governance, and peace and stability.

How to join

All interested parties are encouraged to contact the VPs Secretariat (volprinciples@bsr.org) for more information on how to become a participant in the Voluntary Principles.

Further details can be found on the VPs website.


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