Complaints

World Renew’s tagline is based on Micah 6:8 and captures the overriding values and motivations for our work: “Doing justice, loving mercy and serving Christ” in all we do. Our value of “People Flourishing” means that “We treat each person equally as an image-bearer of God.” In World Renew, we know that our world, and we ourselves, are fallen and broken; and that God works to redeem and renew us and our world. Ephesians 5:8-11 summarizes this perspective: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”

This passage in Ephesians demonstrates that we must always seek truth; and when wrongs are committed they must be exposed and addressed rather than covered up. World Renew’s Complaints Policy seeks to create structures that will comply with applicable state, provincial, and federal laws; and facilitate the speaking of truth, the exposure of what is wrong, and the establishment of right actions.

In line with World Renew’s overarching commitment to the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), World Renew is committed to ensuring that complaints are welcomed and addressed at all levels of the organization and that communities and people affected by crisis, in particular, have access to safe and responsive mechanisms to handle complaints.

The full version of the World Renew Complaints Policy can be accessed here.
World Renew’s Complaints Handling and Investigation Guidelines have also been developed in order to support the implementation of the Complaints Policy.

HOW TO MAKE A COMPLAINT

A complaint should ideally be submitted as soon as possible. Feedback about the shortcomings in the implementation of World Renew’s activities and procedures should be submitted when the work is on-going, but at no point later than a year after the work is finalized. For complaints, there is no time limit, as World Renew will seek to handle and investigate all complaints as far as is possible.

At program, national, and regional levels, complaints mechanisms will be established and the means of submitting a complaint (e.g. in written form through a Complaints Box, by email or phone, or in person to a designated focal point) will be communicated to relevant stakeholders in that location, either verbally or in writing as contextually appropriate. In cases where a local complaints mechanism has not been established, stakeholders are welcome to address their complaint to the World Renew Safeguarding and Complaints Coordinator.

Complaints can be addressed to the Safeguarding and Complaints Coordinator at World Renew using the following means:

Email: [email protected]

Letters:

Safeguarding and Complaints Coordinator
3475 Mainway, STN LCD 1
Burlington, ON, L7R 3Y8

Safeguarding and Complaints Coordinator
8970 Byron Commerce Dr SW
Byron Center, MI 49315

In person:

In addition to providing the details of the complaint, complainants should also provide sufficient contact details so that they can be contacted for further information or to give a response. They can also state how they would like the complaint to be handled. A sample complaints letter form, available in PDF format or in Word format, can be used or adapted as necessary.

As World Renew is also a member of the ACT Alliance and CHS Alliance, complaints regarding our work can also be submitted to these alliances using their complaints procedures. This should only be used in the event that the World Renew complaints mechanism has failed to welcome or respond to a complaint in line with our complaints policy.

COMPLAINTS ADDRESSED BY WORLD RENEW POLICY

World Renew handles complaints concerning shortcomings in compliance with the commitments defined in World Renew’s Quality and Accountability Framework (QAF), including the World Renew Codes of Conduct.

This includes:

Implementation of projects that World Renew performs itself or with a partner that does not live up to stated commitments or applicable standards, principles, and guidelines.
Perceived shortcomings in World Renew’s and/or partner’s handling of commitments in a Memorandum of Understanding, financial commitment, membership agreement, or other types of agreements.
Perceived lack of respect for a private or individual donor and/or the donor’s wishes when handling donations.
Suspicion of or testimony on breaches of World Renew’s Codes of Conduct and related policies by staff and/or partner’s staff, including corruption, fraud, sexual exploitation and abuse, and not ensuring the safeguarding of children and/or vulnerable adults.

COMPLAINTS NOT ADDRESSED BY WORLD RENEW POLICY

World Renew does not handle the following types of complaints:

Complaints against a project or a partner that is not financially supported by World Renew. In such cases, the complaint can be referred to that other organization.
Complaints about a policy or position paper adopted by World Renew within the scope of its international work.
Complaints from World Renew staff or partner staff related to terms of employment and labor matters. World Renew staff shall address such complaints directly to her/his immediate supervisor or to the Human Resources (HR) department.

If information is received that is classified as feedback or is a concern related to the safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults (not linked to a World Renew staff member or program), then the information will be referred to the relevant staff member or organization with relevant experience.