Complaints handling policy

Complaint Policy

1. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
1.1. OBJECTIVE
1.2. SCOPE
1.3. DEFINITIONS
1.3.1. Complaint
2. HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS
2.1. RECEIPT OF COMPLAINTS
2.1.1. Information required to file a formal complaint
2.2. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT OF THE COMPLAINT
2.3. HANDLING OF A COMPLAINT
2.4. HOW TO APPEAL THE HANDLING OF A COMPLAINT
2.5. INCIDENT REPORTS
2.6. PREVENTIVE ACTION
3. ACCOUNTABILITY
3.1. COMPLAINT FILE
3.2. REPORT TO THE BOARD
4. RESPONSIBILITIES
4.1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
4.2. CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
4.3. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
4.4. HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR

1. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

1.1. OBJECTIVE

The foregoing complaint policy aims to respond adequately to comments, suggestions and eventual recommendations from internal and external parties in connection with a complaint. The policy covers complaints from all parties, potentially including event participants, partners, volunteers, donors, staff, or any other person with ties to the Fondation. It establishes an equitable and effective procedure for handling the complaints that are received. Specifically, it governs the receipt of complaints as well as the creation and transmission of the complaint file, the satisfactory resolution and compilation of complaints for continuous improvement purposes and for purposes of preventing further events from occurring.

1.2. SCOPE

This policy applies to all staff and volunteers with the organization, to all activities, and to any external persons with ties to the Fondation.

1.3. DEFINITIONS

1.3.1. Complaint

A complaint is the expression of dissatisfaction by a legal or natural person regarding an action taken or omitted by persons with ties to the organization. A complaint can be formulated verbally or in writing. For the purposes of the policy, a complaint involves the expression of at least one of the three following elements:
• A reproach concerning a person employed by the Fondation Charles-Bruneau, or a person involved with the Fondation on a volunteer basis.
• The identification of potential or actual harm sustained by the person filing the complaint.
• The claim for corrective actions.
Any informal process aimed at correcting a particular problem does not constitute a complaint, provided that the problem is handled and resolved in the course of the Fondation’s regular activities, without the person filing a formal complaint.
A complaint is deemed to be informal when it is formulated verbally, unless the person formulating it specifies otherwise or is unable to file the complaint in writing. A complaint is deemed to be formal when it is addressed in writing to a responsible person for a team (coordinator or director), to the director of human resources or to the executive director.

2. HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS

2.1. RECEIPT OF COMPLAINTS

A person who wishes to file a complaint can do so:
• By postal mail at the following address: Head office of the Fondation Charles-Bruneau – Executive Director, 4515 Rue de Rouen, Montreal QC H1V 1H1
• By email at directionrh@charlesbruneau.qc.ca
• By telephone, toll free at 1-877-256-0404, extension 222. If the complaint concerns the Director of Human Resources, it can be forwarded to the Executive Director at directiongenerale@charlesbruneau.qc.ca. If the complaint concerns the Executive Director, it can be forwarded to the Chair of the board of directors at president@charlesbruneau.qc.ca

Complaints are handled in a confidential manner. Any person who is employed by the Fondation Charles-Bruneau and who receives a formal complaint must transmit it, upon receipt, to the Director of Human Resources. Conversely, if the Director of Human Resources is the subject of the complaint, it should be transmitted to the Executive Director, together with a completed incident report form detailing the circumstances surrounding the receipt of the complaint.

2.1.1. Information required to file a formal complaint

A formal complaint must include the following information concerning the circumstances and the person filing the complaint:
• The complainant’s first and last names, or their name if the complaint is filed by a natural person.
• Their postal address and email address (if possible).
• Their telephone number.
• The subject of the complaint.
• The description of the unsatisfactory situation, the persons involved, and the date and time (if possible) of the reported events, if applicable.
• A description of the harm sustained or the potential harm, the reproach made and the corrective action requested, if applicable.
• The signature of the person filing the complaint or the representative.
• The date that the complaint was filed.

2.2. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT OF THE COMPLAINT

Within three business days of receiving a formal complaint, the Director of Human Resources or the Executive Director will forward an acknowledgment of receipt to the complainant. The acknowledgement of receipt will include the name and contact information of the person responsible for handling the complaint, along with the period within which the latter will contact with complainant.
A copy of the acknowledgment of receipt will be retained in the complaint file for purposes of follow-up and traceability.

2.3. HANDLING OF THE COMPLAINT

The complaint procedure is initiated as soon as the complaint is received. The person responsible for handling the complaint ensures that they have all the relevant information, including the applicable policies and directives and any other documentation related to the situation reported.
The responsible person can request additional information from the complainant if they deem that the complaint is incomplete. They gather information from the people involved in the situation to properly understand all the facts so that an informed decision can be made concerning the situation. If the existing information is deemed unsatisfactory, more in-depth interviews or analyses may be carried out to ensure that all the relevant information has been collected. In certain cases, they can solicit help from specialized resources so as to better manage the situation.
The person responsible for handling the complaint will ensure that the appropriate actions have been implemented to contain the situation and inform the other parties that could be affected by it. They can request that timely and complementary actions be taken by other parties potentially affected, if required. The person responsible for handling the complaint then determines whether other actions must be taken to adequately respond to the complaint. Once the complaint has been reviewed, the person responsible for handling it identifies the corrective actions and the preventive actions to take to prevent future recurrences or a further deterioration of the situation. They prepare a response to the complainant and submit their full report to the Executive Director and the Director of Human Resources. When the latter deem that the complaint has been handled in full, the person responsible for handling the complaint transmits a reasoned written response to the complainant.
The complaint must be handled within a reasonable time period following the receipt of all the information required to review it. In the event that a response cannot be provided within 15 business days, the person responsible for handling the complaint will notify the complainant thereof in writing and the Director of Human Resources, and set out a deadline for the resolution of the complaint.

2.4. HOW TO APPEAL THE HANDLING OF A COMPLAINT

If the complainant is not satisfied with the response they have received or with the handling of their complaint by the ultimate designated person, they can submit a request for a review to the Executive Director or the Chair of the board of directors, if the latter was the subject of the complaint. The Executive Director or the Chair of the board of directors will follow up on this request by reviewing the decision or appealing to a resource outside the organization with expertise on the matter. A letter will be forwarded to the complainant to inform them about the result of the appeal.

2.5. INCIDENT REPORTS

All complaints, formal or informal, are recorded in an incident report containing the details of the complaint (date, persons involved, nature of the incident / complaint, actions taken) and are forwarded to the Director of Human Resources.
If the Director of Human Resources is the subject of a complaint, the incident report is completed and retained by the Executive Director. If the latter is the subject of a complaint, the incident report is retained by the Chair of the board of directors.
An annual report on the incidents and complaints received is sent to the board of directors, which can question the actions taken and recommend additional preventive actions.

2.6. PREVENTIVE ACTION

When an inadequate situation or a situation presenting a risk is observed, the ultimate designated person must correct the problem as soon as possible, to rectify the situation in the short term and ensure that it does not continue or deteriorate. Conversely, this action can be insufficient from a preventive perspective and in the longer term, such that a preventive action is required to permanently eliminate the causes of the inadequate situation or the situation posing a risk.
As part of the handling of the complaint and the resulting incident report, the ultimate designated person, as required, determines:
• The appropriate action to prevent any further recurrence of the situation.
• The identity of the person responsible for applying this action.
• The deadline for applying it.
At the end of the implementation period, the ultimate designated person, with assistance from the person responsible for applying the action, evaluates the result, i.e., they ensure that the result is satisfactory and that the non-compliance is eliminated on a permanent basis.

3. ACCOUNTABILITY

3.1. COMPLAINT FILE

An incident report must be completed for each complaint, and the report must be included in a file, along with the following documents:
• Written complaint from the complainant, including three elements of the complaint (the reproach against the registrant, the actual or potential harm, and the corrective action requested).
• Incident report summarizing the complaint and the other elements related to the handling of the complaint and the preventive and corrective actions implemented.
• The result of the complaint process (review and supporting documents).
• The final reasoned and written response to the complainant.

All complaint files are forwarded to the Director of Human Resources, who stores them in a registry.

3.2. REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Complaints that raise issues that are significant or structural or that entail risks to reputation are disclosed to the board of directors within a reasonable time period. The Director of Human Resources tables an annual report detailing the number and nature of the complaints received by the board of directors, whether or not complaints were received.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES

4.1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The board of directors is responsible for:
• Approving this policy and any subsequent amendments to it.
• Ensuring that the Executive Director takes all the means required to maintain an environment open to disclosure.
• Taking action, as a last resort, in the event that a person is dissatisfied with the handling of a complaint filed under this policy or with the disciplinary measures arising from it.
• Reading the reports and approving the conclusions of the summary and formal inquiries.

4.2. CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Chair of the board of directors is responsible for:
• Handling any complaint directly targeting the Executive Director.

4.3. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Executive Director is responsible for:
• Ensuring that staff and volunteers are informed about the existence of this policy and the recourse thereby provided in the event that a complaint is received.
• Handling any complaint not directly targeting the Executive Director and ensuring that any such complaint is handled.
• Proposing to the board of directors any amendment required under this policy.

4.4. DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES

The Director of Human Resources is responsible for:
• Submitting an annual report on complaints received, their handling and the conclusions drawn.
• Proposing to the Executive Director and the board of directors any amendments to this policy that may be required.