Complaints Management Policy

Goal of the Policy

The CIAJ Governance Committee has adopted this policy to optimize the organization’s users’ and partners’ satisfaction by establishing clear and accessible procedures for the expressions of dissatisfaction with CIAJ’s services and activities.

Guiding Principles of the Policy

  • Appropriate complaint management policies and procedures promote continuous improvement within the organization.
  • To be effective, the complaints management policy and procedures must be posted in such a way as to be easily understood by the main parties concerned. 
  • Complaints must be dealt with promptly.
  • Complainants must be informed of the outcome of their complaint.

Policy Statement

The organization’s Complaints Management Policy defines what constitutes a complaint and specifies the process for handling it.

Definition

  • A complaint is the written expression of a user’s or partner’s dissatisfaction with employees and volunteers of the organization or with the organization’s activities. 
  • For example, a complaint may relate to a mistake made by a volunteer, discourteous behaviour on the part of an employee or dissatisfaction with a service provided by the organization.

Who is Responsible for Handling Complaints

  • The organization’s executive director is responsible for handling complaints. 

Displaying the Procedure for Filing a Complaint

  • The executive director ensures that the procedure for filing a complaint is posted, in both printed and electronic form, in full view of the organization’s users and partners.  

Receiving a Complaint

  • Complaints can be made verbally or in writing.
  • The employee or volunteer of the organization receiving the complaint must communicate it, or advise the complainant to communicate it, to the executive director.  
  • Only written complaints are processed in accordance with the Complaints Management Policy. The executive director must offer any assistance the complainant may require formulating the complaint. 
  • The complainant must sign the document setting out the details of the complaint and the date on which it was lodged. 
  • Anonymous complaints will not be considered.

Handling a Complaint

  • The executive director must review  the complaint within one month of it being lodged, by examining all the information brought to its attention and by interviewing the employees or volunteers involved, as well as the complainant, if necessary.  
  • Complaints must be  treated confidentially. 
  • Following its analysis of the complaint, the executive director must prepare report for the organization’s Executive Committee (EC).
  • The Executive Committee will determine the action to be taken on the complaint considering the report and recommendations made by the executive director, and in accordance with the organization’s administrative policies. 

Complainant Follow-up and Archiving

  • The executive director must inform the complainant of the action taken on his or her complaint no later than two months after it has been lodged.  
  • The executive director keeps files on all complaints handled in a safe place for five years.  

Policy Implementation

The executive director and the Governance Committee are responsible for applying the Complaints Management Policy. 

Policy Adoption 

The Complaints Management Policy was adopted by the CIAJ Governance Committee on September 22, 2023.