2010
AMBATOVY SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
13
B3. Organizational Approach to Sustainability
B3.4 The Ambatovy Grievance Mechanism
Ambatovy engages stakeholders on a range of subjects
from safety to social and economic development to practical
management of Project sites. Nevertheless, stakeholders
can always raise their own concerns. Issues raised by
stakeholders include:
3
Allegations of harassment or improper behaviour
3
Claims for property damage or financial loss
3
Concerns linked to health, safety and the environment
A grievance management mechanism is in place for reporting,
assessing and addressing issues raised by stakeholders.
While many of these issues can be resolved through the
regular consultation process, the grievance mechanism
provides a channel for cases that should be addressed
formally and/or confidentially with each step of the process
documented. Implemented in March 2010, the mechanism
has quickly become a vital tool for monitoring and mitigating
concerns raised by local stakeholders.
Ambatovy defines a complaint as “a claim or grievance filed
by an individual or a group within the communities affected by
the operations of the company.” Any individual or group that
feels negatively affected by the activities of Ambatovy can file
a complaint and all complaints received from eligible parties
will be accepted, analyzed and processed. To ensure that
the mechanism is accessible, individuals may file grievances
by phone, mail, email or in person at Ambatovy offices in
Antananarivo, Moramanga or Toamasina. They may also file a
grievance with any Ambatovy field worker or at the office of a
local authority.
5
All grievances are treated in a three-step process:
3
The stakeholder receives an acknowledgement of the
grievance and an initial response.
3
Ambatovy conducts an investigation as required.
3
Ambatovy provides the results of the investigation to
the stakeholder with a proposed course of action to
resolve the matter. If the stakeholder does not accept
the proposed course of action, Ambatovy engages in
further dialogue with the stakeholder until there is a
mutually acceptable outcome.
The Project monitors the mechanism closely and prepares
regular reports to management and the Executive Committee
on the number of grievances and the status of the Project’s
responses.
Our grievance mechanism has been a critical way of tracking
these major issues. The most significant topic raised through
the mechanism has been the compensation and restoration
process for rice fields affected by pipeline construction.
Ambatovy has responded by investigating the cases and
explaining the process for determining the compensation and
restoration method. The Project is planning an external audit
to assess the adequacy of the current compensation process.
5
This authority is generally the
Fokontany
, which are the Malagasy government’s liaison and administrative offices at the village or neighbourhood level.
