grievancesystems
An Integral Part of Due Diligence

As more and more countries enact laws on human rights
and environmental due diligence (HREDD), companies are
increasingly putting due diligence systems in place in their
supply chains. At the Rainforest Alliance, we believe thatstrong due diligence systems are crucial to a well-functioning grievance system, and critical to achieve our mission ofcreating a world where people and nature thrive together.
In agricultural supply chains, the greatest risks of human rights
violations and environmental degradation happen in farm andagricultural processing operations. Our system is, therefore,designed to ensure that allegations of human rights abuses
or environmental destruction are identified and remediated at
the most direct level—the farm or certified operation—whenever possible.
Our grievance system includes 3 levels.
1.
Certificate Holder’s (farm, group, or supply chain actor)
own grievance mechanism
2. Certification Body grievance mechanism
3. Rainforest Alliance Grievance Procedure (a grievance may
be submitted via a form on our Questions and Complaints
page.)

Operation level
Grievance Mechanism

Certification Body
Grievance Mechanism

Rainforest Alliance
Grievance Procedure

Definitions
Grievance“A grievance is a complaint or concern by any person
about another person’s or organization’s actions or about
its rules and policies that have negatively affected thecomplainant.” See Glossary, Annex 1.

Grievance mechanism“A process through which individuals, workers, communities, and/or civil society organizations (includingwhistle-blowers) can raise their complaints of being
negatively impacted by specific farm or business activities and/or operations. A grievance mechanism may beformal or non-formal, legal or non-legal. It includes thesteps of submission of the complaint, treatment, remediation, and monitoring.” See Glossary, Annex 1

All farms, farm groups, and supply chain actors that are part of
the Rainforest Alliance Certification Program are required under
our Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard tohave a grievance mechanism in place in their own operations.
The requirements align with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines
for Multinational Enterprises. For instance, we require that thegrievance mechanism take steps to be accessible and trusted
by all actors, including vulnerable people like women and migrants.
Independent third-party certification bodies (CBs) verify
through audits that farms, farm groups, or supply chain actors
seeking or renewing certification, meet these grievance mechanism requirements.
Farmers, workers, community members, and others can submit
grievances via the grievance mechanism of the farm, farmgroup, or supply chain actor. Most grievances are handled andresolved at this level, incorporating locally available services
and referral mechanisms where appropriate. The Rainforest
Alliance requires that any grievances related to human rights
issues be remediated per the process and steps in our Remediation Protocol.

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If a submitter finds that an issue is not resolved to their satisfaction, it can be submitted to the grievance mechanism of theCB that performed the audit of the farm, farm group, or supply
chain actor in question. All CBs authorized by the Rainforest
Alliance are required to have their own grievance procedures(also in compliance with section 7.13 of the ISO 17065 standard).
Issues that remain unresolved through the above processes
can be submitted to the Rainforest Alliance Grievance Procedure. We encourage submitters to submit their grievances
first through the local or CB grievance mechanisms, but we do
accept and follow up on grievances that were not submitted tothose mechanisms.
Of course, submitters also have access to other means of remedy, which they can use in addition to our options. These include the ISEAL Complaints Procedure, since Rainforest Allianceis a member of ISEAL. These also include national or local-leveljudicial systems in the relevant countries and communities,
and hotlines provided by government bodies, civil society organizations, and/or companies. The Rainforest Alliance system
is not meant to replace, but rather complement, other meansof redress.

Data About Grievances
In any sector or country, a grievance mechanism must be
managed in a sensitive manner, preserving the confidentiality of those who wish to remain anonymous. The Rainforest
Alliance does not disclose any information of cases handled atfarm, group, supply chain actor, or CB level. However, the Rainforest Alliance does publish aggregated data on grievances
handled through the Rainforest Alliance Grievance Procedurethrough our Questions and Complaints page.

Continuous Improvement on Grievance
Processes
The Rainforest Alliance seeks to continuously improve ourgrievance mechanism requirements and grievance procedures. We participate in research studies, internal and externalbenchmarking exercises, and maintain dialogue with partners
to learn and adapt our approach. Please contact the Rainforest Alliance (grievances@ra.org) to learn about our latest
research and improvements.

Photo: Giuseppe Cipriani

The Rainforest Alliance is creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces
to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities.

rainforest-alliance.org

info@ra.org