Conflict contexts and humanitarian crises - B Lab UK
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Conflict contexts and humanitarian crises

This page has been updated to reflect the recently launched B Lab standards. Last updated Jan 2026.

B Lab’s mission is to transform the global economy to benefit all people, communities and the planet.

We believe our best route to achieving this is through the widespread adoption of stakeholder governance, unlocking the power, leadership and resources within business to balance the interests of people and the planet in decision-making. 

Our new standards point to how business can best minimise harm when operating in conflict-affected situations, by assessing and applying heightened due diligence in their direct operations and affected supply chains. And they point to the need for business to act collectively to advocate for policies that create positive social and environmental outcomes, such as the protection of human rights. Find out more below.

B Lab’s standards and high-risk contexts

A “conflict-affected situation” (also known as a “conflict-affected context”, or “conflict-affected and high-risk areas”) is a geographic area, region, or country experiencing armed conflict or widespread violence, including:

  • inter-state or civil war

  • armed insurrections

  • violent extremism

  • other forms of organized violence

(Source: United Nations Development Program - Heightened Human Rights Due Diligence for Business in Conflict-Affected Contexts: A Guide)

Human rights are codified into the new standards for B Corp Certification, which include additional requirements for heightened due diligence for high-risk contexts within the Human Rights Impact Topic. These additional requirements set higher expectations for companies to understand and address human rights risks associated with their involvement in conflicts and other situations of widespread violence. In particular:

  • A conflict-affected zone is a geographic area, region, or country experiencing armed conflict or widespread violence (HR 3.6)
  • International businesses should first assess their direct operations in conflict-affected areas, be transparent about those operations, identify triggers for action, and look to prevent or mitigate negative impacts. (HR 3.6)
  • Businesses should look to assess negative human rights impacts related to their source countries and raw materials (this includes heightened due diligence for conflict zones). (HR 4.1)

There’s also helpful information within the Government Affairs & Collective Action and Purpose & Stakeholder Governance Impact Topics. The new standards, wherever possible, align with and draw on existing best practice frameworks.

Further resources

In addition to our new standards, B Lab has linked widely recognised, foundational resources below for businesses to ensure stakeholder voices and rights are integrated into governance. 

Together, the resources support the identification of conflict-affected locations and provide useful tools and frameworks for businesses when working in these locations.

B Lab does not have any affiliations with any of these organisations.

To identify relevant locations:

To work in a conflict-affected situation: 

For supporting a response to humanitarian crises:

Other:

FAQs
  • What is B Lab UK's position on current conflicts around the world?

    B Lab takes a non-partisan and geopolitically neutral approach. We believe that by setting standards and driving their adoption among businesses, we will enable a world in which businesses are better able to respond to and advocate for all those impacted by conflict throughout the world.

    B Lab UK recognises that widespread violence and humanitarian crises as a result of conflicts are unfolding in countries and regions around the world, including in the State of Palestine, Sudan, Yemen, Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. In keeping with our value of interdependence, we support efforts to restore peace, provide humanitarian aid, and respect the role of international law. Business has a role to play in the protection of human dignity and the creation of stability for civilian populations impacted by conflict around the world.

  • Can companies certify as a B Corp while operating in conflict areas?

    To be eligible for B Corp Certification, companies must be legally registered in regions covered operationally by B Lab. As part of the initial eligibility criteria in Foundation Requirements, they must also meet the additional requirements for heightened due diligence for high-risk contexts within the Human Rights Impact Topic.

  • How can B Corps act on collective action and government affairs to address a geopolitical conflict?

    Our new standards require that businesses engage in collective efforts to drive systemic change and advocate for policies that create positive social and environmental outcomes. B Corps frequently campaign on issues in line with their mission and values — embracing collective action is an essential part of being a B Corp. We encourage B Corps to uphold their values in their decision-making, within the guardrails of industry regulation and best practices. 

    Government Affairs & Collective Action is one of the seven Impact Topics in our new standards for B Corp Certification. The Topic ensures companies lead in fostering shared understanding and implementing solutions toward an equitable, inclusive, and regenerative economy. It also includes renewed requirements around making public statements in line with company positions.