Bonsucro and Responsible Jewellery Council engaged Business & Human Rights consultancy twentyfifty to conduct a research project into Grievance Mechanisms within Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS). The research investigated how grievance mechanisms have been set up and how grievances are managed and remediated within their memberships. The document is intended to give a summary of the key findings from this research, share good practice as well as give practical examples for VSS to either introduce new or strengthen existing grievance mechanisms, in alignment with the UNGP and OECD Guidelines.

The organisations included in the research, which was carried out between January and June 2022, were Better Cotton Initiative, Bonsucro, Forest Stewardship Council, Marine Stewardship Council, Rainforest Alliance, Responsible Jewellery Council, Roundtable of Sustainable Biomaterials and The Copper Mark. The research involved an in-depth document review of policies, reports & public information as well as an interview with each organisation to get a more in-depth understanding of their grievance processes.