Future security trends: Implications for human rights

In this episode of Field Notes from the Front Line: Voices of Responsible Security, we speak with Lucas Ndolo, Country Manager at SGA Security Kenya, and Edward Achola, Security Manager at Base Titanium, about the responsible transition of the security workforce following the closure of the Kwale Mineral Sands Operations in Kenya. SGA Security received the PSC Member Award (Transitional & Certified) at the ICoCA Responsible Security Awards 2025 for its approach to workforce transition at Base Titanium. As the mine approached closure, SGA developed a “Life After Base” demobilisation plan to support security officers through the financial and emotional impacts of the transition, including financial management training, counselling, skills development and opportunities for redeployment. In this conversation, we explore how responsible security can support workers and communities through major operational transitions, and how the experience at Kwale demonstrates the role of the private security sector in putting a Just Transition into practice.

In South Sudan’s Fangak County, seasonal flooding, violent conflict and limited infrastructure create one of the world’s most challenging operating environments. For private security providers, operating responsibly in such contexts requires more than managing operational risks – it requires understanding and supporting the communities around them. In this episode of Field Notes from the Front Line, we speak with John Davies, Quentin Otieno and Gideon Iya from Archer International, an ICoCA Affiliate, about how the company has worked alongside local communities to strengthen resilience in the face of flooding and insecurity. From supporting dyke construction and providing practical health and safety training to adapting operations to complex local dynamics and prioritising staff welfare, their experience highlights the role responsible security providers can play beyond traditional protection activities. The discussion explores how community engagement, human rights due diligence and local partnerships can help private security companies build trust and contribute positively in fragile and high-risk environments.

For the latest episode of Field Notes from the Front Line: Voices of Responsible Security, we hear from Bardhyl Hoxha, Senior Advisor at ARB Security, an ICoCA-certified private security company working across Albania. ARB Security received the Affiliate Award as part of the inaugural ICoCA Responsible Security Awards in 2025, recognised for its community-based security approach supporting infrastructure and energy projects in areas where development activities closely intersect with local communities. By prioritising local recruitment and encouraging guards to act as a link between project operators and residents, the company has worked to build trust, improve communication and reduce potential sources of tension. In this conversation, we explore how community-based security can contribute to more effective and locally informed operations, the importance of understanding community dynamics in complex project environments, and the role responsible security practices can play in supporting both operational continuity and stronger relationships with affected communities.

In this episode of Field Notes from the Front Line: Voices of Responsible Security, we speak with Ian Gordon, Chairman of IDG Group. IDG Security is one of the original companies to have joined ICoCA a decade ago and became ICoCA certified in 2021. IDG are also inaugural winners of the ICoCA Innovation Award, one of four awards made by the Association in 2025. IDG was acknowledged for two initiatives demonstrating how responsible security can be delivered in some of the world’s most complex operating environments. In Afghanistan, the company piloted the E-Ledgers carbon accounting framework, showing how emissions can be measured through detailed operational data in high-risk contexts. In Myanmar, following the 2025 earthquake, IDG adapted its operations to support employees, sustain essential services and assist affected communities during a time of crisis. In this podcast, we explore what these experiences reveal about accountability, resilience and innovation in private security, and how responsible practices can help companies respond to environmental challenges and humanitarian emergencies while upholding human rights.

In this second episode of Field Notes from the Front Line: Voices of Responsible Security, we speak with Cho Thandar Thein from EXERA, an ICoCA-certified private security company operating across Myanmar. EXERA shared this initiative as part of the inaugural ICoCA Responsible Security Awards in 2025, highlighting a training programme developed in partnership with the local NGO Step-In-Step-Up (SISU), which prepares young people in Myanmar for entry-level employment. Launched in 2023, the initiative aims to expand opportunities for women in the private security sector, a field that has long been shaped by rigid gender norms and limited access for women. In conversation with Cho, we explore how the programme works in practice, the challenges of promoting gender inclusion in a traditionally male-dominated sector, and why creating pathways for women in private security can contribute to more inclusive and responsible security practices.

In July 2025, ICoCA called on its private security company members and affiliates, civil society organisation and observers to share their best practices supporting a Just Transition: the shift toward a greener economy that is fair, inclusive and creates decent work opportunities while leaving no one behind. This initiative led to the creation of the first edition of the ICoCA Responsible Security Awards, recognising PSCs and CSOs that exemplify these principles. In this new podcast series, Field notes from the front line: Voices of responsible security, we'll be speaking with key individuals from these organisations to explore how responsible security practices are being implemented in real-world contexts – and how accountability across the sector can be strengthened. We’re delighted to begin the series with Jan Leysen and Hans Merket from the International Peace Information Service, or IPIS, an independent research institute working on peace, human rights and responsible resource governance. IPIS were the civil society organisation winner of ICoCA’s inaugural responsible security awards in 2025, recognised for launching two community-based incident-monitoring systems. Operating in eastern DRC to report incidents in the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, and in Tanzania to monitor both ASM and large-scale mining operations, the Kufatilia (in DRC) and Kufuatilia (in Tanzania) mechanisms enhance transparency, accountability and safety. They demonstrate how digital reporting tools, paired with strong civil society partnerships, can strengthen responsible mineral supply chains in diverse and often conflict-affected contexts.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Alessandro Arduino about his latest book, Money for Mayhem: Mercenaries, Private Military Companies, Drones, and the Future of War. Dr. Arduino shares his insights on the rising influence of private military contractors, particularly from China, Russia, and Turkey, and their impact on global security dynamics. He delves into the role of technology, including UAVs, in modern warfare and discusses the ethical implications of privatizing security. Join us as we explore the future trajectories of private military actors and their significance in shaping the landscape of conflict.

In this episode, we speak with Anne-Marie Buzatu, Vice President and COO of ICT4Peace Foundation, who played a pivotal role in the development of the International Code of Conduct and the founding of ICoCA. Anne-Marie shares insights from her time as a principal architect of the initiative and reflects on the challenges faced during the creation of governance and oversight mechanisms for private security companies.

In this episode we speak to Mark DeWitt, chief legal officer and general counsel at Gardaworld Federal Services. He was on the first intake of the ICoCA’s board of directors and played an instrumental role before the association was founded.  

S2E3 - In this episode, we welcome Amol Mehra, director of industry programs at Laudes Foundation. He was one of the founding board members of ICoCA. Amol will tell us more about the process of creation of the ICoCA, and specifically, about the role that the civil society play in the process of ensuring accountability of private security companies.