Grievance mechanisms allow individuals to raise complaints about actions that may have impacted their human rights or labour rights. In cocoa production, the most common human rights and labour rights issues include withholding wages, workers performing tasks that were not specified at the time of recruitment or workers not performing agreed-upon tasks. Grievance mechanisms can be used to resolve disputes, investigate allegations of abuse, provide solutions for those affected, and ultimately prevent further harm.

This practical guide provides step-by-step guidance on managing grievances reported to community-based grievance mechanisms. It draws on ICI’s experience in implementing and overseeing these mechanisms to tackle the risk of forced labour in cocoa-growing areas in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.

This guide is intended for stakeholders involved in the set-up and management of community-based grievance mechanisms. It supports implementing partners in understanding how grievances are processed and assists grievance committee members in handling cases effectively and consistently.