GOVERNANCE & COLLABORATION - Implementation

1.2.2 Implementation:
Grievance mechanisms

Does the company have a grievance mechanism or a whistleblowing/ethics hotline to enable anyone to report about human rights impacts in operations and/or supply chains?

Scoring options

  • 10 = Yes, the company has a formal grievance mechanism open for anyone (employees and members of the local community, including children) to report about human rights impacts in operations, supply chains or surrounding communities.
  • 5 = The company has a formal grievance mechanism, but it is unclear if this channel is used for submitting human rights grievances or if this channel is open only to employees.
  • 0 = No, the company does not have a formal human rights grievance mechanism, or it is not publicly available.

Why is this important?

If the larger community has the opportunity to lodge grievances with a company, there is a higher probability that misconduct/issues will come to light and be addressed. This opportunity should be available for human rights grievances in operations as well as in supply chains.

About the scoring

A score of 10 is given if the company has a public statement that makes it clear that child labour or other human rights issues can be:

  • Reported to a dedicated hotline/grievance mechanism (either in-house or with suppliers that the company has access to through, e.g. audits or a neutral third party providing the service)
  • It should also be clear that the mechanism is available to all potential stakeholders (including children) and not only available to employees/suppliers

A score of 5 is given if it is clear from public disclosures that an ethics hotline/grievance mechanism exists, but it is unclear whether the hotline/grievance mechanism:

  • Includes human rights issues
  • Allows community or environment grievances to be reported
  • Allows all members of communities to use the mechanism or whether it is exclusively for employees/suppliers

Indicator reference

Children’s Rights and Business Principles:

  • All business should meet their responsibility to respect children’s rights and commit to supporting the human rights of children (Principle 1)
  • All business should provide decent work for young workers, parents and caregivers (Principle 3)

The GRI standards:

  • Reference 103-2

Methodology

Corporate Sector & Children’s Rights
Benchmark Series

To methodology overview