Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID)

What Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) does

Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) is a UK-registered non-profit organization (registered charity no. 1150846, not-for-profit company limited by guarantee no. 4895859) founded in 1998 and headquartered in London. The organization functions as a corporate watchdog focused on human rights, labour rights, and environmental accountability in the global extractive industries, with primary field activity in sub-Saharan Africa — specifically the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Zambia, and Chad. RAID does not sell products or services; its work is funded by charitable trusts (including the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, The Sage Fund, The Freedom Fund, The Joffe Charitable Trust, and Global Commons Alliance) and disseminated free of charge.

RAID's core outputs are long-form investigative research reports and briefing papers built on primary field research conducted alongside African civil society partners. Major publications include 'The Road to Ruin' (2021) on cobalt mine labour abuses, the 110-page 'Beneath the Green' (2024) on environmental pollution from industrial cobalt mining in the DRC, and 'Workers' Rights Under Scrutiny' (2025) updating labour conditions documentation. French translations of the two flagship DRC reports were released in 2026. The organization's underlying 'platform' is its on-the-ground research methodology, partner network (AFREWATCH, CAJJ, and specialist law firms including Leigh Day, CFM Lawyers, and Phillips Barristers PC), and litigation support capability — RAID has supported legal complaints filed against mining majors including Glencore, Eurasian Resources Group, China Molybdenum, Zijin Mining, and Barrick Gold, including a case taken to Canada's Supreme Court in 2025.

The go-to-market model is advocacy- and publication-driven rather than commercial: RAID distributes findings via its website, social channels (BlueSky, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), email newsletter, and through coalition partners targeting civil society, media, policymakers, and legal organizations. Revenue is non-disclosed but supported by a multi-funder charitable grant model. Headcount is in the 1-10 range, making RAID a small but operationally focused specialist organization rather than a mass-membership NGO.

Name

Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID)

Legal name

Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID)

Website

https://raid-uk.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) is a UK-registered non-profit watchdog founded in 1998 that investigates human rights, labour, and environmental abuses by multinational mining companies, primarily in the DRC, Tanzania, Zambia, and Chad, through field research, published reports, and strategic litigation support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Rights Advocacy & Corporate Accountability Research

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAGAK

Human Rights Monitoring, Documentation & Advocacy

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Human Rights, Democracy & Governance

Keywords

• Human rights advocacy
• Corporate accountability research
• Extractive industries oversight
• Mining human rights investigations
• Environmental justice reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RAID investigates and publicly documents corporate human rights abuses and environmental harms by multinational mining companies, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia, and Chad. It produces in-depth investigative research reports and briefing papers, supports strategic litigation against mining companies in coordination with partner law firms, partners with African civil society organisations on field research, and engages in policy advocacy directed at governments, regulators, and international bodies. All publications are offered free of charge via its website.

Product overview

RAID is a UK-based corporate watchdog organization that produces research reports, briefings, and advocacy publications documenting human rights abuses and environmental pollution in the global mining sector. Its core products are investigative research reports on mining operations in the DRC and Tanzania, including environmental pollution studies, labour rights investigations, and legal accountability reports. These publications serve civil society organizations, policymakers, and international bodies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beneath the Green: A critical look at the cost of industrial cobalt mining in the DRC A 110-page investigative report revealing that toxic pollution from industrial cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has devastating human and environmental impacts, challenging the 'clean' and 'sustainable' cobalt narrative promoted by multinational mining companies. Published for use by civil society organisations, policymakers, media, and international bodies.
• Workers' Rights Under Scrutiny: An Update on Labour Conditions in the DRC's Industrial Mines A briefing paper revealing that mine workers in the DRC's industrial copper and cobalt operations remain trapped in poverty and face systematic labour rights abuses, based on field research conducted in January and February 2025. Targeted at civil society organisations, policymakers, and international bodies.
• The Road to Ruin: Electric vehicles and workers' rights abuses at DR Congo's industrial cobalt mines An in-depth 2021 report exposing dire conditions, discrimination and extremely low pay at some of the world's largest industrial cobalt mines, including the finding that subcontracted workers make up 57% of the workforce. Used by civil society, policymakers, media, and downstream electric-vehicle supply-chain stakeholders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Published 'Beneath the Green' 110-page ground-breaking report on DRC cobalt mining pollution (2024)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• African Resources Watch (AFREWATCH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRC-based civil society organization and co-author of major research reports including 'Beneath the Green' (2024) investigating environmental pollution from industrial cobalt mining in Kolwezi, DRC. Partnership involves joint field research, report co-authorship, and advocacy for affected communities.
• Centre d'Aide Juridico-Judiciaire (CAJJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKolwezi-based Congolese legal aid organization specializing in labor rights. Partnered with RAID on multiple research reports documenting labor rights abuses at industrial cobalt mines, living wage calculations, and strategic litigation support for workers.
• Global Commons AllianceminorOthersPartner organization in environmental advocacy network.
• Leigh DayminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUK-based law firm providing legal support for RAID's strategic litigation work, including cases against mining companies in UK courts.
• CFM LawyersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCanadian law firm representing Tanzanian plaintiffs in legal case against Barrick Gold at North Mara mine, filed in Ontario courts.
• Phillips Barristers PCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerToronto-based law firm representing Tanzanian plaintiffs in human rights case against Barrick Gold, including appeal to Canada's Supreme Court.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Global Witness: UK-based investigative NGO that exposes corporate and state abuse of the environment and human rights, with sustained focus on extractive industries and natural-resource governance. Most directly comparable to RAID by geography (London), subject matter (mining accountability), and operating model (investigative reports and litigation support against multinationals).
• MiningWatch Canada: Canadian mining watchdog that researches and advocates on the impacts of Canadian mining companies operating abroad. Highly comparable to RAID given the shared cross-border mining accountability lens (e.g., the Ontario-based Barrick litigation RAID supports parallels MiningWatch's longstanding engagement with Canadian-listed miners in Africa and Latin America).
• Business & Human Rights Resource Centre: International NGO that tracks corporate human rights abuses across sectors and geographies, curates evidence and supports litigation strategies. Comparable to RAID as a corporate-accountability intermediary that converts field evidence into advocacy, regulatory submissions, and strategic cases against multinationals.
• SOMO (Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations): Dutch research NGO investigating the social and environmental impacts of multinational corporations, including in extractives. Comparable to RAID as a small specialist NGO producing in-depth corporate-accountability research used by civil society, policymakers, and litigation efforts.
• BankTrack: International NGO tracking commercial banks' financing of extractive and other controversial industries. Comparable to RAID as a watchdog NGO applying pressure on intermediaries in the extractives value chain, complementing RAID's pressure on mining operators themselves.
• Publish What You Pay: Global civil-society coalition focused on transparency and accountability in the extractive industries, particularly oil, gas, and mining. Comparable to RAID given the shared extractives-accountability mandate and policy-advocacy posture toward mining-governance reform.
• Earthworks: US-based nonprofit focused on the impacts of mining and fossil-fuel extraction, producing field research, advocacy, and policy work against mining harms. Comparable to RAID as a mining-specialist NGO whose outputs include scientific evidence on pollution and community harms in extractive operations.
• OECD Watch: International network of NGOs holding corporations accountable under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, including mining-sector complaints. Highly comparable to RAID given RAID's documented use of OECD complaint mechanisms (e.g., the Glencore/Chad NCP filing referenced on the RAID site).
• Inclusive Development International: US/UK-based NGO supporting communities affected by development and extractive-industry projects, including research-to-litigation support and partnership with community organizations. Comparable to RAID in its community-partnered research model and its focus on accountability for internationally financed projects in the Global South.

Broad incumbents

• Human Rights Watch: Large international human-rights organization producing investigative reports and advocacy across sectors, including mining and supply-chain abuses. Comparable in advocacy posture and report-driven model, but broader and far larger than RAID; functions more as an overarching human-rights incumbent than a mining-niche specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@raid6851
• Facebookfacebook.com/raidukorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rights-and-accountability-in-development-raid
• Instagraminstagram.com/raidukorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID)