On March 26 – 27, 2014, the Government of Switzerland hosted the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs) Initiative Annual Plenary Meeting in Montreux, Switzerland...During the meeting, the government of Ghana announced that it would join the VPs Initiative, becoming the first African government participant. Government participation in the VPs Initiative signals an important commitment to human rights and to supporting a positive business environment for extractive companies. The VPs Initiative also welcomed companies Repsol, PanAust, IAMGold, and NGO LITE-Africa as new members, as well as the Institute for Human Rights and Business, as an observer. everal companies also discussed challenges and best practices related to implementation and verification of their performance under the VPs. These discussions helped to demonstrate how companies work to adhere to their commitments in some of the toughest places in the world, spurring discussion about how participants can work collaboratively to support these efforts.