Conflict has a price, and almost nobody budgets for it. Here are the best available measures, each with its source.

Between nations

Violence is the most visible cost. The Institute for Economics & Peace estimates its economic impact at more than a tenth of world GDP. Behind the figure are lives, homes and futures.

Inside justice systems

Courts are essential, and overloaded. When billions of people cannot resolve a justice problem, disputes do not disappear; they harden, spread and pass to the next generation. Neutral processes are not a replacement for courts. They are how societies keep courts for what only courts can do.

At work

In the UK alone, workplace conflict costs employers an estimated £28.5 billion a year: resignations, sickness absence, management time and formal procedures. Globally, low engagement, often a symptom of unresolved conflict, is estimated to cost around nine per cent of GDP.

In commerce

Commercial disputes are larger than ever. The value of new cases at the ICC alone reached a record US$102 billion in 2024. Yet users increasingly want to combine formal processes with mediation and other Neutral routes.

The cheapest moment is the earliest

Every conflict has a cheapest moment to resolve it. It is almost always earlier than people think.

The pattern across every dataset is the same: costs rise sharply once positions harden and formal processes begin. That is why TheNeutralsORG™ puts prevention first: Neutral routes written into contracts, Standing Neutrals on long relationships, Ombuds channels in organisations, and evaluation before litigation. Use the cost-of-conflict calculator to estimate your own.

TheNeutralsORG™ editorial · Essay 04 · Figures checked October 2026 · Sources & method