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AbstractEven though the relevance of business actors in peace processes is increasingly acknowledged, analysis of their particular roles and contributions remain sparse in peace mediation literature. This is despite the fact that such knowledge would be highly relevant for supporting mediation processes such as those ongoing in Colombia or the Philippines. This article looks at the involvement of business actors in mediation processes by tracing analysis along the entry points for involvement, the different roles that business actors can play and the limitations they face. The empirical data shows that business actors mainly play a role during the pre‐ and mediation phase and therein often as a support‐giver to the mediation process. Furthermore, most of the involvement does not take place at track‐1 level but rather at track‐2 mediation processes, where mainly local business play an important role. In contrary to what is postulated by some of the literature, the relevance of utilitaristic motives is not problematic; rather a monetary motivation can also foster the credibility in a political process where a lot is at stake.

What's old is new again -- PART I: Theoretical underpinnings -- Business and peace: a need for new questions and systems perspectives -- Business, peace, and human rights: a political responsibility perspective -- The messy business of peace amid the tyranny of the profit motive: complexity and culture in post-conflict contexts -- PART II: Perspectives on the corporate side -- Furthering business efforts to reduce social risk and promote peacebuilding: the potential of social impact bonds (SIBs) -- Beyond rhetoric or reactivity on SDG 16: towards a princiipled policy basis for engaging business in peacebuilding -- From war-torn to peace-torn? Mapping business strategies in transition from conflict to peace in Colombia -- PART III: Empirical reflections -- The only hope left: differences between multinational and local coompany peacebuilding activities in Syria and Iraq -- The contested roles of local business in peacebuilding: reflections from Sri Lanka and El Salvador -- Practicing business and peace? Considerations overheard in the field -- Large-scale investment management: the peace potential of a sovereign wealth fund -- Index.

The impetus for this special Working Paper on Conflict Sensitivity (CS) emerged as KOFF swisspeace hosted a three-day Conflict Sensitivity Expert Retreat from 30 September to 2 October 2014 in Oberhofen, Switzerland. The retreat brought together some 40 leading international experts in CS from think tanks, NGOs, universities and donor agencies aiming to 'take conflict sensitivity to the next level'. Skillfully guided through a facilitated process, retreat participants engaged in critical reflection and experience-sharing in a creative and innovatory spirit. The process laid the foundation for the emergence of a community of practice on CS - the Conflict Sensitivity Community Hub (CSC-Hub) - which launched a range of actions intent on ensuring the topic continues to receive dynamic attention, critique and reflection. This Working Paper collection, comprising the reflections of different CSC-Hub participants, is one such action. Covering much discursive ground, the Working Paper is structured into four analytical chapters. The diverse and insightful contributions comprising this Working Paper collection reveal how far conflict sensitivity has come.

Cover -- Half Title -- Series Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- List of illustrations -- Foreword -- What's old is new again -- PART I: Theoretical underpinnings -- 1. Business and peace: A need for new questions and systems perspectives -- The roots of the mobilization of business for peace -- A menu of roles for business in peace -- Businesses do, can or should impact socio-economic dynamics of conflict-prone places in peace-positive ways. -- Businesses do, can or should impact socio-political dynamics of conflict-prone places in peace-positive ways. -- Businesses do, can or should impact peacemaking dynamics in peacepositive ways. -- Assumptions rather than evidence about business and peace -- A profound disconnect from contemporary peacebuilding theory and practice -- The high risk of suboptimal outcomes and unintended consequences -- Also missing from the equation: the 'who' and the 'how' -- A richer set of perspectives and questions -- References -- 2. Business, peace, and human rights: A political responsibility perspective -- Introduction -- Business and human rights: overview -- Corporate human rights responsibility and the nature of the corporation -- Business and human rights: current themes and alternative perspectives -- A BHR perspective on business and peace -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- 3. The messy business of peace amid the tyranny of the profit motive: Complexity and culture in post-conflict contexts -- Introduction -- Literature review -- Business for Peace -- War Economies -- Critical Peacebuilding -- Methodology -- Findings: expect the unexpected -- Undermining local political balances -- Amplifying existing economic grievances -- Generating new social conflicts -- Conclusion -- References -- PART II: Perspectives on the corporate side.