commits to responsible and ethical land and resource management

respects the rights and wellbeing of Indigenous and tribal peoples, and local communities.

hold cultural or religious significance

provide them with food security

provide them with economic benefits.

land

lakes

rivers

streams

mangroves

marine areas.

Communities’ use of these areas and natural resources can be assessed in consultation with communities.

assess which communities could potentially be affected by its operations;

understand and document which resources are vital to the communities;

seek and obtain community approval before undertaking changes that have the risk of restricting access to resources;

involve local communities in a consultative process to discuss the proposed changes;

document any community approvals;

engage with communities in a continuous process with annual reviews;

set up a permanently accessible mechanism for communities to raise any issues.

Step 1: The UoC engages in regular consultation and collaboration:

the physical proximity of a community is less important than the extent of the impact experienced by them

engages these communities to conduct thorough impact assessments to understand the potential cultural, and socio-economic consequences of site operations on significant sites (also 3.13.2)

If an adequate and up-to-date social impact assessment has already been carried out for another purpose, there is no need to carry out another one. In some cases, the assessment will need to be complemented. The UoC will also need to show it has followed up on its findings.

that is based on the social impact assessments, to eliminate adverse effects on significant sites, in consultation with affected communities

implements this plan

monitors this plan.

the cultural, historical, and ecological significance of the land and water resources in the area to foster a deeper understanding and respect for these resources

the mitigation plan

ensures that there are employees with the required competencies to conduct community engagement.

integrates the mitigation plan in company policies

ensures there is a member of senior management who is responsible for implementation of these company policies and the mitigation plan

clear and fair

for resolving disputes or conflicts that may arise between the UoC and Indigenous or local communities

maintaining transparency in operations

reporting on community engagement efforts accessible to communities.

communicating clearly and well in advance about any activities that have the potential to affect communities.

Accountability framework guidance on FPIC: <https://accountability-framework.org/fileadmin/uploads/afi/Documents/Operational_Guidance/OG_FPIC-2020-5.pdf>

FPIC-360°: <https://fpic360.org/>

World Resources Institute “Development without conflict: The business case for community consent”: <https://www.wri.org/research/development-without-conflict>

Oxfam “Guide to Free Prior and Informed Consent”: <https://www.culturalsurvival.org/sites/default/files/guidetofreepriorinformedconsent_0.pdf>

kept confidential

not in any public documentation.

the person bringing the grievance should be informed,

the information should be shared sensitively and only to those who need to know it.

can vary in size depending on the size of the UoC

should include representation for diverse groups and consider the needs of vulnerable groups. For example:

have been trained and are knowledgeable about the business and common grievances that occur

understand human rights issues including labour rights, community rights, and Indigenous peoples’ rights, as applicable

are seen as accessible and impartial

have appropriate skills and authority level to investigate and resolve grievances, and where appropriate, facilitate dialogue, remedy and identify areas of improvement

are protected from any reprisals, particularly where they are involved in sensitive issues.

The same employee representation may also take on the role of supporting the implementation of the human rights policy (see indicator 3.1.3).

the name of the person who brought the grievance

the date it was submitted

the person or department against whom the grievance was made

the category of the grievance

dates and the results of internal investigations carried out

the outcome of the investigation

dates when a response was provided to the person who brought the grievance.

If the grievance relates to a workplace hazard related to equipment that could harm an employee, that equipment must be removed from operation and repaired immediately.

If the UoC suspects that the person making the claim or other people may be at risk, and if the case involves human rights, including potential cases of child labour or forced labour, the UoC follows Appendix 16 (Remediation Protocol).

until the child has reached school-leaving and working age.

Simple grievances may not require a 90-day timeframe.

direct consequences, such as:

more subtle consequences, such as:

indirect consequences, such as:

direct actions

indirect actions through others

threats

harassment

damage to a person or property.

having clear grievance processes and policies that include accountability (see 3.12.2)

raising a confidential grievance (see also 3.12.9)

raising an anonymous grievance through a hotline or similar, where the identity of the person bringing the grievance is never known:

in-person meetings

dedicated telephone numbers

email addresses

instant messaging or other online submission mechanisms

letters or written notes

via community leaders and representatives, or community organisations.

Different communities may prefer different channels for submitting grievances.

when persons of the same gender, or ethnic group are available to receive a complaint, that may increase the likelihood of participation.

conduct a stakeholder mapping and engagement process to identify communities and Indigenous and tribal peoples who may use the grievance mechanism.

make them aware of their rights under the law and under the ASC Farm Standard, including the grievance mechanism.

share information about the grievance mechanism, for example through:

give special consideration to reaching vulnerable groups within the population, as they are:

how they can raise concerns and grievances with the UoC;

who their point of contact at the UoC is;

as part of the induction process

at the start of each production cycle.

essential for all employees

important for a positive environment in the workplace.

induction training and other ongoing training

information posted in public areas of the UoC

distributing it to employees in flyers, via text messages, instant messaging, emails or other private forms of communication

discussing it in employee meetings and assemblies

including it in employment contracts or the employee handbook.

engender trust among participants

be transparent: ensure that users are given clear information about what is happening

be fair: ensure that users have access to sources of information and expertise necessary to engage in a grievance process

be predictable: ensure that users understand the process, how long it takes and what the outcomes can be

be accessible: ensure that users have been informed about it and can use it

be rights-based: ensure that outcomes and remedies are compatible with international human rights

be based on dialogue and engagement, ensuring that stakeholders are consulted and included in the process

be a source for continuous learning, analysing individual complaints to help prevent other grievances.

in-person meetings

dedicated telephone numbers

email addresses

instant messaging or other online submission mechanisms

letters or written notes

a suggestion box

via employee representatives, trade unions, and worker associations

worker voice tools to conduct anonymous worker surveys.

their labour rights (Criterion 3.1)

rights related to other workplace issues, such as health and safety regulations (Criterion 3.5)

how the grievance mechanism functions and what kinds of issues may be brought to the grievance mechanism (see also 3.12.3).

internally with the UoC using the same channels open to other employees

with the local Consular Office of the Labour Attaché for their country in the country where the UoC is located

websites or Facebook pages of the Consulate or Embassy where migrant workers can raise grievances.

Step 1: Receive and acknowledge grievance complaint

Step 2: Take immediate action on human rights or hazardous issues (see Appendix 10 for the Remediation Procedure)

Step 3: Review the grievance complaint to check if it is admissible.

an inadmissible complaint is one that is unrelated to the activities or location of the UoC.

Step 4: Investigate the grievance complaint to establish what happened, maintaining confidentiality.

for complex issues or where there are conflicts of interest, external experts may be brought in to support.

Step 7: Provide an opportunity for an appeals process, if agreement cannot be reached.

Step 8: Implement and monitor the remediation plan.

allows for open participation of all employees

is easily accessible to employees on a regular basis

provides options for anonymous feedback.

dialogue between management and employees

engagement with elected employee or union representatives

employee meetings or assemblies to solicit feedback

employee committees

suggestion box that is safely accessible for employees

access to an online feedback form or dedicated email address or phone number

employee surveys.

operational inefficiencies such as inadequately maintained machinery that may impact efficiency and could cause health risks

employee rights such as female employees are paid less than male employees with similar jobs

harassment, such as an employee is pressured to begin a romantic or sexual relationship with a supervisor (whether this occurs during or outside work hours and work location)

working conditions, such as: