Grievance Policy

1. Purpose

Projects Abroad is committed to operating responsibly, ethically, and transparently — and to being genuinely accountable to the people and communities our work affects. A meaningful grievance mechanism is central to that commitment.

This policy explains how any stakeholder can raise a concern, how we will respond, and how we protect people who come forward. It is not a bureaucratic formality. It is one of the ways we ensure that the people most affected by our work have a real and accessible voice — including in contexts where raising concerns might otherwise feel difficult or unsafe.

This policy covers:

How grievances can be raised
The grounds for accepting a grievance
The steps and timelines for managing grievances
How resolutions are determined
How stakeholders are protected from retaliation
How we communicate outcomes
How we learn from grievances and report to governance

This policy applies globally and covers grievances raised by all stakeholders: programme participants, community members, local partners, staff, educators, investors, and any individual or group affected by our activities.

2. Accessibility

Projects Abroad ensures that all stakeholders have clear, accessible, and safe ways to raise concerns, regardless of their location, language, or relationship to the organisation.

We provide:

A grievance form published on the Projects Abroad website and accessible via QR code at our offices, accommodations, and programme sites
A dedicated email reporting channel: [email protected]
Access to in-country offices and Operations Managers for in-person reporting
A named Grievance Manager with well-defined responsibilities: Somi Cho
Confidential handling of all submissions

Information about the grievance process is written in clear, accessible language. Where relevant, it is made available in local languages to ensure community members and in-country partners can access it.

3. How stakeholders are notified

Projects Abroad actively notifies all main stakeholder groups that this grievance procedure exists and how to access it. We do not assume stakeholders will find it independently.

Stakeholder group	How they are notified	Where to find the procedure
Participants (volunteers, students, and interns)	MyPA pre-departure portal; on-arrival orientation; participant handbook	Projects Abroad website; QR code in accommodation and programme sites
Partners (local NGOs and host organisations)	Included in formal partnership agreement; raised at onboarding and annual review meetings	Projects Abroad website; shared digitally at onboarding
Workers (Projects Abroad staff)	Staff induction; staff handbook; all-staff communications; whistleblowing policy	Internal intranet / staff handbook; Projects Abroad website
Communities (host communities in destinations)	QR codes displayed in community settings and programme sites; communicated via in-country Operations Managers	QR code links to grievance form; in-person via Country Director or Operations Manager
Investors (board members and shareholders)	Board papers and annual governance review; board receives annual grievance summary report	Included in annual board reporting pack
Educators (schools, colleges, and universities)	Included in school partnership documentation; referenced in programme information packs	Projects Abroad website

Notification methods are reviewed annually to ensure they remain accessible and effective across all operating contexts.

4. Grounds for accepting a grievance

A grievance will be accepted where it:

Relates to Projects Abroad’s operations, programmes, staff, partners, or impacts
Is raised by someone directly or indirectly affected
Alleges harm, misconduct, policy breach, ethical concern, safeguarding issue, human rights concern, or environmental impact
Is submitted in good faith

A grievance may not be accepted where it:

Falls outside the scope of the company’s operational responsibility
Is malicious or knowingly false
Duplicates a previously resolved matter without new evidence

Where a grievance is not accepted, the company will provide a clear written explanation within 10 working days of receipt.

5. Grievance process and timelines

All grievances follow a defined process with clear timelines.

Where timelines cannot be met, the complainant will be informed promptly and given a revised estimate.

Step 1	Acknowledgement—within 5 working days The complainant receives written confirmation that their grievance has been received, along with an outline of next steps and the name of the case owner assigned.
Step 2	Initial Assessment—within 10 working days The Grievance Manager determines: whether the grievance meets the acceptance criteria; the level of risk (Low / Medium / High / Critical); and whether immediate escalation is required (e.g. safeguarding concerns, legal matters, or imminent harm). Safeguarding concerns are immediately referred to the Safeguarding Lead in parallel with this process.
Step 3	Investigation—normally within 30 working days An impartial case owner is assigned. Evidence is gathered, relevant parties are consulted, and a fair and proportionate investigation is conducted. If more time is required, the complainant will be informed with a revised timeline.
Step 4	Outcome and Resolution The complainant receives a written summary of findings, the decision reached, and any corrective or remedial actions proposed. Resolutions are guided by principles of fairness, proportionality, and transparency (see Section 6).
Step 5	Closure The grievance is formally closed once the outcome has been communicated, agreed actions have been initiated, and the complainant has been informed that the case is resolved. All closure evidence is recorded in the grievance register.

6. Resolution

Resolutions are guided by principles of fairness, proportionality, and transparency. Depending on the nature of the grievance, resolution may include:

Corrective operational changes
Policy revisions
Mediation between parties
Disciplinary measures
Safeguarding intervention and referral
Restitution or remedy where appropriate
Environmental mitigation measures
Referral to external bodies where legally required

Where appropriate, Projects Abroad may facilitate dialogue to support constructive and mutually agreed outcomes.

7. Escalation and review

If a complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome, they may request a formal review within 15 working days of receiving the decision. The review will be conducted by a senior individual who was not previously involved in the matter.

Grievances may be escalated directly to executive leadership in the following circumstances:

Safeguarding concerns involving a child or vulnerable adult
Allegations of serious human rights violations
Significant environmental harm
Legal or regulatory exposure
Any matter the Grievance Manager considers requires executive or board-level attention

The Board of Directors receives an annual summary of grievance activity and is responsible for oversight of the effectiveness of this policy (see Section 9).

8. Protection against retaliation

Projects Abroad strictly prohibits retaliation against any individual who raises a grievance in good faith. This applies to participants, community members, staff, partners, and any other stakeholder.

To protect stakeholders, we:

Handle all grievance information confidentially
Restrict access to case documentation to those directly involved in resolution
Include clear non-retaliation provisions in staff codes of conduct and partnership agreements
Monitor for retaliatory behaviour following a complaint
Treat any allegation of retaliation as a serious breach of company policy, subject to disciplinary action
Escalate retaliation allegations to senior leadership immediately

Anyone who experiences or witnesses retaliation for raising a grievance should report it immediately to the Grievance Manager (Somi Cho) or, if the concern involves the Grievance Manager, directly to the CEO

9. Communication with complainants

Projects Abroad commits to keeping complainants informed throughout the grievance process. We will:

Acknowledge receipt within five working days
Communicate each step in the resolution process as it is completed
Provide updates if timelines change, with revised estimates
Confirm the outcome in writing
Confirm formally when the grievance has been resolved and closed
Clearly explain, in writing, if a grievance is not accepted and why

All communications are conducted sensitively and with respect for the complainant’s circumstances, language needs, and cultural context.

10. Monitoring, governance and continuous improvement

Grievance register

The Grievance Manager maintains a confidential grievance register recording all grievances received, their status, subject, risk level, outcome, and closure date. The register is maintained throughout the year and forms the basis of the annual internal report.

Annual internal report

The Grievance Manager prepares an annual internal grievance report for the Board of Directors. The report covers the previous 12 months and includes:

The number of grievances received, accepted, and not accepted
The subject and nature of grievances received
Resolution timelines and whether targeted deadlines were met
An evaluation of the effectiveness of the grievance procedure
Identification of trends, recurring themes, or systemic hotspots
Recommended improvements to policy, process, or practice

The annual report is presented to the Board of Directors by the Director of Operations at the annual board meeting as a standing governance item. Board minutes record receipt of the report.

Board oversight

The Board of Directors has oversight of the effectiveness of this grievance policy. The board:

Receives the annual internal grievance report from the Director of Operations
Reviews the effectiveness of grievance procedures as part of its annual purpose and impact review
May request additional information or escalation of specific matters at its discretion

Continuous improvement

This policy and the grievance mechanism are reviewed annually by the CEO, in consultation with the Grievance Manager. The review considers:

Whether the procedure remains accessible across all stakeholder groups and operating contexts
Whether timelines and processes are working effectively in practice
Trends and recommendations from the annual report
Any changes in operating context, regulatory requirements, or B Corp certification standards

Significant changes to the policy are approved by the Board of Directors before implementation.