ISSUE 60: Acorn International Updates the Voluntary Principles Initiative Board of Directors on Emerging Human Rights Trends

The Board of Directors for the Voluntary Principles for Security and Human Rights asked Acorn International to share its perspective on emerging human rights trends for the energy and mining industry at its recent meeting.  Our role was to kick-off the Board’s forward-looking discussion on key strategic issues as the group prepares to draft a new strategy in 2026.  Anyone who knows us knows how committed we are to making an impact on promoting better industry-community relationships, so we were honored to help shape the future of how the industry manages the delicate interface between assuring security and respecting human rights. 

Here are the four key trends we presented for the Board’s consideration:

• Declining Trust and Intensified Opposition – Edelman’s 2025 Trust Barometer found that an astonishing 40% of the >30,000 respondents surveyed approve of hostile activism (including damage to property or threatening violence) if needed to bring about change. 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer | Edelman.  Over 50% of those between 18-34 years old approved. In light of this trend, companies committed to respecting the rights of human rights defenders may need to strengthen the resilience of their grievance management and security practices.
• Increased Global Conflict – As the world becomes more polarized and actors more ready to resort to hostile acts (see above), energy and mining companies are evaluating how to better manage risks of increased conflict in their operating and prospecting areas. Likewise, increased investor lending into Fragile & Conflict Situations (FCS) Classification of Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations is driving more rigorous attention to conflict risks. The International Finance Corporation is giving special attention to FCS risks as it updates its Performance Standards for Environmental and Social Sustainability over the coming months.  stakeholder-consultation-framework.pdf
• Critical Demand for Digital Justice – The explosive growth in AI and quantum computing applications is forcing security and human rights specialists to quickly find better ways to responsibly balance transparency & data security risks. At issue in this balance are the challenges of promoting transparency (e.g., monitoring for human rights violations and hate speech) while preserving privacy (e.g., regulating mass surveillance) and raising awareness of how AI introduces biases & discrimination into searches. Harnessing Technology to Safeguard Human Rights: AI, Big Data, and Accountability
• Growing Expectations for Agreement-Making – Our experience with host communities, especially Indigenous communities, over the past 8-12 months has shown a rapid increase in expectations for extractive industries to form community agreements that go beyond regulatory requirements, committing to benefits, protections, monitoring and public reporting. Provincial governments in Canada are helping enable this trend with affordable financing for First Nations to take equity positions in development projects. ESTABLISHMENT OF BC FIRST NATIONS EQUITY FINANCING FRAMEWORK IN BUDGET 2024: A STRONG STEP TOWARD ECONOMIC RECONCILIATION – FNMPC 

The trends of increasing activism, global conflict, application of AI and expectations for agreement-making present more substantial and complex human rights risks for businesses operating globally. Whether companies have committed to following the Voluntary Principles or not, it’s time to review human rights risks, risk management capacity and the need for more resilient commitments and practices to respect human rights.

*Stronger Together image from FNMPC – Stronger Together