Responsible business and effective investments in uncertain times

Global conflict is escalating at an unprecedented pace. The ICRC counts over 130 active armed conflicts in 2026 - more than double the number 15 years ago - while conflict-related fatalities have surged to their highest levels in three decades. Over 120 million people have been forcibly displaced, marking the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II.

Conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAS) are frequently the source of the most salient human rights and conflict risks for stakeholders and the most significant risks to business - spanning legal, brand, investor, and operational issues. Adding to the complexity, companies must also consider International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and conduct heightened Human Rights Due Diligence (hHRDD) when operating in CAHRAs.

Yet persistent obstacles remain: legal complexity, specialized expertise gaps, and rapidly shifting conflict dynamics that strain standard decision-making timelines.

So, what can investors do to manage conflict risk exposure? What are the legal consequences of inaction - for investors and companies alike? And what does best practice look like among MNCs leading on the ‘responsible business in conflict’ agenda?

Practical responses to complex challenges

This event will explore investor, legal and conflict specialist perspectives on the ‘responsible business in conflict’ agenda. It will explore:

• How investors perceive the saliency and materiality of investments in companies with business activities in CAHRAs, and the practical steps that asset managers can take to manage their exposure to conflict risks;
• The legal implications for investors and companies with exposure to CAHRAs, including international humanitarian law, international criminal law and litigation risk;
• The most pressing challenges companies face when incorporating CAHRAs, both at HQ and on the ground, and the ways in which these challenges are being overcome through the application of conflict-specific best practices for policies, governance and in-country due diligence.

Resources for investors and companies

This event highlights two important developments in responsible business in conflict:

1. Investor guidance on CAHRAs: Co-authored by Heartland and TrustWorks and endorsed by PPT and other investors, this guidance offers best practices for assessing conflict risk exposure and engaging priority portfolio companies.
2. Collaborative due diligence in CAHRAs: Steptoe LLP and TrustWorks have designed a structured, legally protected framework for peer collaboration - enabling companies to pursue innovative due diligence strategies that maximize stakeholder impact while managing legal, regulatory, and reputational risk.

The main session will be followed by a cocktail reception where participants will have an informal moment to meet representatives from each of the participating entities.

Speakers include:

• Melchior de Muralt, Managing partner, de Pury Pictet Turrettini
• Dominique Habegger, Chief sustainability Officer, de Pury Pictet Turrettini
• Yousuf Aftab, partner, Steptoe LLC
• Josie Lianna Kaye, CEO and founder, TrustWorks Global

Program : 

This event will be held in English. 

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