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

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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

1. 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.

2. 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.

Validation Basics

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:

Validation status	Score
Accepted	1/1
Not Accepted	0
Duplicate	0

Scoring Basics

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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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