SE8: Stakeholder Grievance Process
Maximum Score
0.5 points
Input Method
Assessment Portal
Prefill
Eligible
Scoring method
Static
Validation
Other answer is manually validated
2026 Updates
None
Is there a formal process for stakeholders to communicate grievances?
Assessment Instructions
Intent: What is the purpose of this indicator?
This indicator evaluates whether the entity provides a grievance mechanism for its stakeholders. Even when procurement practices are well managed, supply chain activities can create sustainability risks or contribute to human rights violations. A formal grievance mechanism enables stakeholders within the supply chain to raise concerns and seek remedies, and reinforces the entity’s commitment to responsible and transparent supply chain management.
Input: How do I complete this indicator?
Select yes or no. If yes, select all applicable sub-options.
Terminology
Accessible and easy to understand
Known to all stakeholder groups and providing adequate assistance for those who may face particular barriers to access (e.g. 24/7 availability, simple language).
Anonymous
Made or done by someone whose name is not known or not made public.
Clients/customers
A customer is understood to include end-customers (consumer) as well as business-to-business customers.
Contractors
Organizations or persons working on-site or off-site on behalf of an entity with a relationship determined by a contract, including property managers. A contractor may hire their own staff directly or hire subcontractors or independent contractors.
Dialogue based
Looks for mutually agreed solutions through engagement between parties.
Equitable & rights compatible
Ensure that parties have reasonable access to sources of information, advice and expertise necessary to engage in a grievance process on fair, informed and respectful terms (e.g. independent review). In addition, ensure that outcomes accord with international norms of behavior.
Grievance mechanism
Formal, legal or non-legal (or ‘judicial/non-judicial’) complaint process that can be used by individuals, communities and/or civil society entities that are being negatively affected by certain business activities and operations. The process enables the complaining party to flag an issue, seek redress and remedy.
Improvement based
Drawing on relevant measures to identify lessons for improving the mechanism and preventing future harms.
Legitimate & safe
Enable trust from stakeholder groups and protect stakeholders from potential threats and retaliations through a secure, anonymous, independent and two-way communication system.
Predictable
Provide a clear procedure with an indicative time frame for each stage, and clarity on the types of process and outcome available.
Special interest groups
Organization with a shared interest or characteristic (e.g. trade unions, non-governmental organizations).
Stakeholder group(s) involved
State all the stakeholder group(s) addressed by this action. Examples of applicable stakeholder groups include: Employees, Contractors, Clients/Customers, Community/Public, Suppliers, Investors, Regulators/Government, Representative and Special Interest groups (e.g. NGOs, Trade Unions, etc), Industry and professional associations, etc.
Suppliers
Organization upstream from the reporting entity (i.e., in the entity’s supply chain), which provides a product or service that is used in the development of the entity’s own products or services. Note that for the purposes of this assessment, 'suppliers' only refers to tier 1 suppliers with whom the entity has a direct commercial relationship.
Supply chain
Range of activities carried out by organizations upstream from the reporting entity (i.e., with whom the entity has an indirect commercial relationship), which provide products or services that are used in the development of the entity's own products or services.
Transparent
Keep parties informed about the progress.
Validation: What evidence is required?
No evidence required. Only the 'Other' answer is manually validated.
Other Answer
Other: State the other method used for the grievance process. It is possible to report multiple other answers. If multiple other answers are acceptable, only one will be counted towards scoring.
Other: State the other stakeholder group that the grievance process applies to. It is possible to report multiple other answers. If multiple other answers are acceptable, only one will be counted towards scoring.
Scoring
Scoring: How does GRESB score this indicator?
The scoring of this indicator is equal to the sum of the fractions assigned to the selected options and respective sub-options, multiplied by the total score of the indicator.
Other: The 'Other' answer is manually validated and assigned a score which is used as a multiplying factor, as per the table below:
Accepted
1/1
Not Accepted
0
Duplicate
0
References
ISO 20400, 2017: Sustainable Procurement
UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
Human Rights and Grievance Mechanism
GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards, 2016: 103-2, The management approach and its components
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