Business Initiatives and Peace Building:The Case of Mild Coffee Company in the South of Huila, Colombia

Abstract

As a contribution to the study of the relationship between business, development and peace in Colombia, the paper explores how the participants of an inclusive business perceive that it contributes to peace. Using a qualitative methodology, the research addresses the case of Mild Coffee Company del Huila (mcch) and the way in which its participants conceive peace and the relationship between the initiative and this peace notion. The study concludes that the initiative has contributed to peace from the perspective of its participants, with a particular emphasis on the socio-economic inclusion dimension. However, this is not the case for the most relevant categories for the participants, related to equal opportunities and the rural sector as a driver of peace. Evidence also shows that the moral dimension of peace building is relevant to the main groups involved and even to those who are not participating in the inclusive business.