GLOSSARY
Grievance mechanism
A grievance mechanism is a process that lets workers, communities, and other stakeholders raise complaints or concerns about working conditions, human-rights impacts, or environmental harm, and have them fairly received, investigated, and remedied. Unlike whistleblowing, which focuses on reporting wrongdoing, a grievance mechanism centers on remedying harm to the affected person.
Why it matters for Tier-2/3
Due-diligence frameworks such as the OECD Guidelines treat the existence and accessibility of a grievance mechanism as a core indicator of whether due-diligence findings are actually being acted on. For a Tier-2/3 supplier, setting up even a minimal channel — a suggestion box, a designated department — for workers to raise complaints is a solid starting point for due-diligence readiness.
Related
Informational only — this does not replace an official ESG evaluation. Independent content; not affiliated with or endorsed by any framework organization.