Heads up: this activity does not match your current filter.
It's still shown so you can read it. Change or clear the filter in the side nav under Product filter.
Activity IAa2.4
Objective
Impacted Party Engagement
Concept
Impact Assessment
Activity Type
Driver
Rating System Application
Establish a community grievance mechanism for direct reporting of complaints to the Owner
Scope
The Owner shall establish a process for receiving, acknowledging, investigating, resolving, and closing community complaints and grievances that allows community members to submit concerns as they arise. In this way, the grievance mechanism serves as a key component of the Project's approach to community engagement and risk mitigation.
Requirements 25
Act to Avoid Harm
- 01.
A grievance mechanism that includes the following:
- a.
There shall be a documented grievance mechanism procedure for how concerns and complaints are received, processed, and settled.
- b.
The grievance mechanism can be accessed via at least two different access points, ensuring equal and effective access for everyone in the community, including vulnerable groupsxii.
- c.
The process and procedures of the grievance mechanism shall be clear and transparent, ensuring that community members understand how their complaints will be handled and resolved.
- d.
The grievance mechanism shall be independent and impartial, free from any undue influence or bias, to ensure fair and objective resolution of complaints.
- e.
The complainant's confidentiality shall be respected throughout the grievance process, protecting them from any potential retaliation or harm.
- f.
The grievance mechanism shall have a reasonable timeframe for addressing and resolving complaints, but in no case shall exceed 30 days, ensuring that community members' concerns are dealt with in a timely manner.
- g.
The grievance mechanism shall hold responsible parties accountable for addressing and resolving complaints, ensuring that appropriate actions are taken to address any issues raised.
- h.
The grievance mechanism shall provide appropriate remedies to address the harm or injustice suffered by the complainant, such as compensation, corrective measures, or changes in policies or practices.
- i.
The grievance mechanism shall provide feedback to the complainant on the progress and outcome of their complaint.
- j.
The grievance mechanism shall establish feedback channels where community members can provide suggestions or comments on the effectiveness of the grievance mechanism and on their complaint.
- k.
The grievance mechanism creates a process where the complainant confirms the resolution addresses their grievance prior to closing and follow-ups are conducted with the complainant after implementation to confirm satisfaction.
- a.
Benefit Impacted Parties
- 02.
Awareness by community members they have access to a grievance mechanism and understand the processes and procedures for making a complaint (see Guidance below).
Contribute to Solutions
- 03.
Records of all grievances lodged and reporting on grievance resolution trends regularly, both internally and externally. Records must be GDPR compliant and a process in place to ensure compliance with GDPR and other relevant data protection laws.
Indicators
See scenarios below for performance and context indicators (depends on whether grievances have been filed).
Scenario 1: No Grievances Filed
If no grievances have been filed within the reporting period, the performance indicator is the percentage understanding of the grievance mechanism. The first context indicator is the number of individuals surveyed. The second context indicator is the number of individuals understanding the grievance mechanism process. Owner shall administer a structured survey to the community members to assess their awareness and understanding of the grievance mechanism and the process for making a complaint. The survey shall include, but not be limited to:
- Awareness of grievance mechanism
- Understanding of the process to file a complaint
- Awareness of the types of issues that can be reported
- Confidence in the impartiality and effectiveness of the grievance mechanism
To calculate the performance indicator:
- Identify the number of individuals indicating an understanding of grievance mechanism.
- Identify the number of individuals surveyed.
- Calculate the percentage of understanding of grievance mechanism.
P = (I_U / N) × 100
Scenario 2: Grievances Filed
If there have been any grievances filed, the performance indicator is the percentage of unique, validated grievances (see Definitions in Guidance below) resolved, where resolution is defined according to Requirement 1.k. The first context indicator is the number and nature of grievances filed. The second context indicator is qualitative feedback from complainant, collected during the grievance process according to Requirements 1.j and k. The third context indicator is the average time for grievance resolution.
To calculate the performance indicator:
- Identify the number of unique, validated grievances filed
- Identify the number of resolved grievances to the satisfaction of complainant
- Calculate the percentage of resolved grievances according to the requirements.
P = (G_R / N) × 100
Scoring
No Grievances Filed
| Points | Percentage of Understanding of Grievance Mechanism |
|---|---|
| 1 point | 20% understanding of grievance mechanism |
| 2 points | 40% understanding of grievance mechanism |
| 3 points | 60% understanding of grievance mechanism |
| 4 points | 80% understanding of grievance mechanism |
| 5 points | 99-100% understanding of grievance mechanism |
Grievances Filed
| Points | Percentage of Grievances Resolved |
|---|---|
| 1 point | 20% grievances resolved |
| 2 points | 40% grievances resolved |
| 3 points | 60% grievances resolved |
| 4 points | 80% grievances resolved |
| 5 points | 99-100% grievances resolved |
Documentation
- 01.
List of financial, human, and material resources utilized for this activity.
- 02.
The written grievance mechanism satisfying all requirements.
- 03.
An access table listing the specific access points through which community members and impacted parties can access the grievance mechanism that lists the access point, the intended audience, and the content provided at the access point.
- 04.
Documentation of content for each access point (screenshots can be provided for digital content).
- 05.
Comprehensive records of all grievances lodged (if applicable), including relevant information such as the nature of the grievance, date of submission, actions taken, the resolution of each complaint, follow-up with the complainant, and feedback from complainants regarding satisfaction of the resolution. Records must be GDPR compliant.
- 06.
Documentation of communication to community members informing them of the grievance mechanism.
- 07.
Copies of surveys conducted to assess community members' awareness and understanding of the grievance mechanism and the process for making a complaint (if applicable).
- 08.
Records of survey results demonstrating the level of understanding among community members (if applicable).
- 09.
Documentation of actions taken in response to survey results to improve awareness and understanding if necessary.
Definitions
-
Unique Grievance (appears in Requirement ) — is a distinct complaint or expression of dissatisfaction raised by an individual or group, identifiable by its specific context, issue, or set of circumstances. Each unique grievance is counted only once, regardless of the number of times it is reported, or the number of individuals involved, provided the underlying issue or context remains consistent. This ensures accurate representation and tracking of distinct issues within a dataset.
-
Validated Grievance (appears in Requirement ) — is a complaint or expression of dissatisfaction that has been confirmed through an evidence-based verification process. This process evaluates the grievance against legal regulations, standards, and other applicable governance discovered in IAa1.1. A grievance is considered validated if it is directly linked to the project's actions or decisions and can be substantiated with tangible evidence, such as documentation, factual data, or verifiable observations. The validation process should be transparent, consistent, and strictly adhere to applicable project governance, ensuring that grievances are assessed objectively and in line with established legal and professional benchmarks. This method minimizes subjectivity and ensures compliance with relevant and authoritative criteria.
Guidance
On types of access points for submitting complaints
It is important to have a good mix of confidential, anonymous, semi-public, and public ways to access a grievance mechanism. Some examples include:
- Community Liaison Officers (confidential)
- complaint hotline (confidential or anonymous)
- web page (confidential or anonymous)
- e-mail address (confidential or semi-public)
- text messaging (confidential or semi-public)
- complaint box in a public area (anonymous, confidential, or semi-public)
- community leaders (confidential, semi-public, or public)
- NGOs (anonymous, confidential, semi-public, or public)
On educating and informing community members of grievance mechanism
This process emphasizes the importance of ensuring that community members are informed and educated about the existence of the grievance mechanism and how they can utilize it. It is crucial that community members understand the processes and procedures involved in making a complaint, so they can effectively exercise their rights.
The following are ways to educate and inform community members about the grievance mechanism:
- Communication: Develop clear, easily understood written materials about the grievance mechanism that are available in the languages spoken by the community through various channels such as churches, grocery stores, post offices, community centers, and ads in newspapers, magazines, etc.
- Online Resources: If community members have access to digital resources, create a section on your public website that provides information about the grievance mechanism and its use.
- Regular Reminders: Periodically remind community members about the grievance mechanism through public communications, such as press releases, emails, or website updates. Reinforce the importance of the mechanism and encourage community members to utilize it if they have any concerns.
- Feedback Channels: Establish feedback channels where community members can provide suggestions or comments on the effectiveness of the grievance mechanism. This can help improve the process and address any potential gaps or challenges.
- Case Studies: Share anonymized case studies in a public forum of how grievances have been successfully resolved. This can help community members understand how the process works and the kinds of outcomes that are possible
Additional Resources
- The Office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) Sample Community Grievance Mechanism Procedure
The Office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO)xiii Sample Community Grievance Mechanism Procedure - a general guide for the type of information that could be provided to the public once tailored to local contexts.
- CAO Grievance Mechanism Toolkit
The Office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) Grievance Mechanism Toolkit – provides tools for enhancing the effectiveness of existing grievance mechanisms, as well as implementing best practice in the creation of new grievance mechanisms.
- Reckitt Grievance Mechanism Toolkit (Oxfam Business Advisory Service)
Referenced Source
- UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (2011)
- Danish Institute for Human Rights, The Human Rights Compliance Assessment Tool: Contractors and Supply Chain (2016)
- Social Impact Assessment: Guidance for assessing and managing the social impacts of projects, International Association for Impact Assessment (2015)