I am delighted to pass along this notice from the International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA)
Operationalising Good Practices on the Management of Weapons and Materials of War by
Private Security Companies
Webinar, Oct 16,2025, 15:00 CET
Following September’s release of the ‘Guidance for Private Security Companies on the Management of Weapons and Materiel of War’ publication, ICoCA and Small Arms Survey are hosting a webinar to discuss what more is needed to help PSCs implement the guidance and explore some of the challenges faced by both companies and regulators charged with exercising effective control over their practices.
Join us as we delve into what good weapons and ammunition management looks like for companies and regulators and the risks companies run by not following good practice.
Date: 16 October 2025
Time: 15:00-16:15 CET
Location: Online
ICoCA's mission "is to promote responsible, transparent and accountable private security practices worldwide that respect human rights, international humanitarian law and the rule of law, safeguarding communities through robust oversight, collaboration and capacity building."
Registration HERE
The Background and Guidance Section of ‘Guidance for Private Security Companies on the Management of Weapons and Materiel of War’ follows below.
BACKGROUND AND GUIDANCE
This guidance document, produced by the International Code of Conduct
Association (ICoCA) in cooperation with the Small Arms Survey, has been
written to support private security companies (PSCs) in the management
of their weapons and materiel of war. It applies to items in operational use,
awaiting repair or disposal, and those that have been recovered.
The primary purpose of this guidance is to support
PSCs in preventing the diversion1 of weapons and
materiel of war caused by theft, loss, corruption, misuse
and poor accounting. Not only does such diversion
risk destabilising the local and national operating
environments, but it can also damage the reputations,
operational performance and profitability of PSCs. It is
therefore in PSCs’ own interests to address potential
causes of diversion, and within an overall framework of
support to the rule of law and respect for human rights.
This guidance is based on the relevant articles in
the International Code of Conduct (i.e. 56-58; 59;
60-62) and expands on the existing management
indicators for weapons and materiel of war available
on the ICoCA website.2 A major component is the
aspects related to security, given the inextricable link
with diversion. However, other areas, such as legal
compliance, safety and equipment serviceability also
feature prominently, recognising that they too are key
constituents of a comprehensive, rules-based approach
to the management of weapons and materiel of war.
The document is intended primarily for the management-
level of PSCs, with the focus on how weapons and materiel
of war are managed rather than how they are used.3 This
document will also be of interest to the operator level
and to others who are wanting to enhance their own
skills and competencies in weapons and materiel of war
management. This guidance document also helps private
and public sector clients of PSCs to know what aspects of
the management of weapons and materiel of war to focus
on before, during and after contract implementation.
As this document is aimed primarily at managerial
level staff, it leaves the more technical detail to
various authoritative publications like MOSAIC and the
IATGs. The MOSAIC4 compendium provides granular
information on managing small arms, while the IATGs5
offer guidance on conventional ammunition, including
more hazardous materials of war that certain PSCs may
have in their inventories. This guidance should therefore
be read in conjunction with the technical publications
listed with other resource material at Annex A.
The recommended practices in this guidance document
are equally applicable to hazardous and non-hazardous
equipment, and to all weapons categories. In the
case of some items, of comparatively lower lethality
and hazard (e.g. batons, pepper spray, helmets and
vests), there might be scope for PSCs to moderate
some of the practices described herein. Much will
depend though on the prevailing circumstances and
compliance with the rule of law and human rights.
A collaborative and respectful management style and
work culture can be an important contributor to the
effective implementation of this guidance. It helps by
leveraging all available skills, talents and abilities to
address the challenges associated with weapons and
materiel of war management. Hence it is an important
thread that runs throughout this document
No comments:
Post a Comment