From Regulations to Implementation with the Revamped Grievance Management Assessment Tool
Initially based on the 8 effectiveness criteria for grievance mechanisms of the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP), CSR Europe’s Grievance Management Assessment has been strengthened to include new requirements. The tool now allows companies to benchmark their performance vis-à-vis the CS3D, the German Supply Chain Act, and the French Corporate Duty of Vigilance Law.
Corporate members are eligible for a 30% discount.
Grievance mechanisms play a crucial role in enabling companies to proactively address and resolve environmental and social concerns, thereby preventing their escalation into larger systemic issues. Since the introduction of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in 2011, regulators worldwide have actively worked to integrate into laws the obligation for companies to establish robust grievance processes.
The recently approved European Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) requires that companies enable individuals and organizations entitled to do so to submit complaints when they have legitimate concerns about actual or potential adverse impacts related to the companies' operations, those of their subsidiaries, or their business partners within the companies' supply chains.
Such measures were previously anticipated in other pieces of national legislation, such as the German Supply Chain Act (LkSG, 2020), stating that an appropriate internal complaints procedure should be in place to enable persons to report human rights and environment-related risks, as well as violations of human rights-related or environment-related obligations, that have arisen as a result of the economic actions of an enterprise in its own business area or of a direct supplier. The French Corporate Duty of Vigilance Law (2017) equally called for the establishment of a vigilance plan, including an alert and complaint mechanism relating to the existence or realisation of risks, drawn up in consultation with the representative trade union organisations within the company.
Built to evaluate and benchmark the maturity of your grievance processes against the United Nations Guiding Principles' 8 Effectiveness Criteria, an updated version of CSR Europe's new Grievance Management Assessment tool (GMA) is now available to assist companies in fulfilling forthcoming obligations. The assessment, carried out by our experts, ensures that your company’s complaint procedure is aligned with the CS3D, as well as with the German Supply Chain Act and the French Corporate Duty of Vigilance Law.
As part of the service, you will receive a comprehensive overview of systemic issues, current gaps, and areas for improvement. This will facilitate efforts to ensure that operational-level grievance mechanisms within your company are legitimate, accessible, predictable, equitable, transparent, rights-compatible, conducive to continuous learning, and based on engagement and dialogue.
Through the tool, your company will also be able to improve its communication. By providing a structured approach to receiving and addressing grievances, you will be able to enhance trust and transparency within your operations. As you promptly identify risks and potential violations, you will be able to take proactive measures to mitigate them before they escalate, safeguarding your company's reputation and integrity. Finally, the assessment will also guide you in mapping your internal and external communication channels, analysing trends, patterns of concerns, and identifying areas requiring attention.
Companies interested in requesting more information about the revamped Grievance Management Assessment can reach out to Filippo Spiezia. CSR Europe corporate members can benefit from 30% discount on the service.
For more information:
Senior Project Manager
Manager Materials
