Community Grievance Mechanisms: The critical release valve

We’d all like to imagine a world where a project will go smoothly, and no stakeholder problems will arise. But that’s hardly the case. Whether a concern about dust, noise, transient workforce – or worse, harassment and violence – a grievance procedure to evaluate and respond to issues will be the critical release value that your project needs. A grievance mechanism is a process that facilitates the management of stakeholders’ concerns, questions and complaints by providing accessible avenues for submission and discussion. It enables issues to be addressed in a consistent, timely, documented, and equitable manner.

Here are a few tips to get an effective grievance mechanism underway:

• Incorporated into international best practice: Grievance mechanisms are required throughout impact assessment international standard processes. For example, Equator Principle 6 is dedicated to effective grievance mechanisms. EP6 indicates that the “mechanisms must be scaled to the risks and impacts of the project and be resolved in a culturally appropriate way, at no cost complainant, and without retribution. The project proponent must inform affected communities about the mechanism and how to access it.”

• Complaints and concerns are different, but both are important: 1) A concern is an issue raised by affected community member, where it has not yet occurred, but has the potential to escalate into a complaint. 2) A complaint is a notification made to the project proponent (or their contractors) about an alleged impact on a stakeholder arising from project activity. These complaints can be environmental, social, or safety related.

• Process is critical: It is common to see a flow diagram that describes the steps that a project proponent will undertake when they receive a complaint or a concern from an affected community member. As you consider your own grievance mechanism, consider these questions:

a) How is the grievance mechanism being advertised to stakeholders and local community members? How can the team ensure that the local community and stakeholders are aware of the mechanism and how to access it?

b) How will questions, concerns and feedback raised during engagements from one-on-one meetings, open houses, newsletters, emails, and other verbal communications be recorded and responded to?

c) How can someone remain anonymous while submitting questions or concerns about the project?

d) How will project proponents relay feedback once a grievance is rectified and closed

• Recording and closing out your grievance is essential: Once a grievance is received through accessible means (feedback forms, online database, emails, toll free number), the project team must log and resolve the grievance. Consider these three questions when closing out the grievance:

a) Do corrective actions need to be undertaken to rectify the complaint or concern?

b) Does a new action plan need to be developed (and perhaps repeated) until a concern and complaint is closed out?

c) Is the issue and remedy recorded in the grievance register?

For additional best practice resources on developing grievance mechanisms aligned with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, download ICMM’s report here.