A Guide to Designing and Implementing Grievance Mechanisms for ...

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Eligible complaints may include those where:
• The complaint pertains to the project
• The issues raised in the complaint fall within the scope of issues the grievance mechanism
is authorized to address
• The complainant has standing to file.
Ineligible complaints may include those where:
• The complaint is clearly not project-related
• The nature of the issue is outside the mandate of the grievance mechanism
• The complainant has no standing to file
• Other company or community procedures are more appropriate to address the issue.
If the complaint is rejected, the complainant is informed of the decision and the reasons for
the rejection.
It is advisable to give complainants the benefit of the doubt and engage in a conversation before
deciding to reject a complaint. Complainants often provide incomplete information. The company
needs to make an effort to truly understand the grievance before responding. In addition,
some companies have found that even where cases appear frivolous or seem to be unlinked to
project operations, the potential issues underlying these complaints may still need to be explored,
as they could indicate some underlying concern with the project, such as lack of trust. In such cases,
it may be advisable to proceed with an assessment before determining whether the complaint is
inadmissible. Some practitioners observe that making a commitment to investigate all complaints
submitted, and to be seen as taking responsibility even when there is not a clear link between the
complaint and the operation, can increase trust in the project. If eligible, the complainant should be
notified, and the grievance should be processed and proceed to an assessment. Box 5.3 presents a
checklist to keep in mind for handling procedures at this stage.
Box 5.3. A Checklist for Grievance Handling Procedures
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Assessment procedures (who conducts the assessment and how is the assessment
conducted)
Procedures to identify appropriate people in the company to whom a specific concern
should be forwarded
Procedures to determine the appropriate resolution process (in consultation with
complainant)
� Procedures for making decisions on proposed settlements
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Appropriate time frames for each step in the grievance resolution process
(including screening, assessment, and resolution)
Notification procedures to the complainant about eligibility, assessment results,
proposed settlement, and the like.