Grievance Handling Procedure

1. Introduction

1.1. Any employee (internal stakeholder) and/or external stakeholder of Blaze Trail Management Limited (the “Company”) who has a grievance is entitled to make use of the Grievance Procedure. A grievance is any feeling of dissatisfaction or perceived unfair treatment, which employees experience in relation to their work and employment situation and which constitutes a grievance of right.

1.2. The grievance process, outlined in the document, provides an avenue for all stakeholders to voice their concerns and gives transparency on how grievances will be managed internally, which aims to reduce conflict and strengthen relationships between external stakeholders.

2. Primary Objective

2.1. The aim of the Grievance Procedure is to enable employees to have their grievances resolved fairly, quickly and at the earliest possible stage.

2.2. Employees may lodge grievances without fear of victimisation.

3. Scope

3.1. The grievance mechanism procedure applies to all external stakeholders of our operations.

3.2. This procedure does also cover grievances raised by internal stakeholders, such as employees, who are to refer to Company internal grievance standard.

4. Definitions

Term	Definition
Grievance	An issue, concern, problem, or claim (perceived or actual) that an individual or community group wants addressed by the company in a formal manner. A wrong or hardship, either real or perceived, resulting in grounds for a complaint.
Complaint	An expression of grievance, dissatisfaction, or concern
Victimise	To act toward a person in a way intended to cause disadvantage to that person because they have posed a complaint, may make a complaint, or are the subject of a complaint
Internal Stakeholders	Workers/Employees
External Stakeholders	Groups or individuals outside a business who are not directly employed or contracted by the business but are affected in some way from the decisions of the business, such as customers, suppliers, community, NGOs and the government.

5. Grievance Reporting Channels

The Company will communicate this procedure to its internal and external stakeholders to raise awareness and offer transparency of how stakeholders can voice their grievances.

6. Roles & Responsibilities

Role/ Position Title	Responsibility
Grievance Committee (Team Comprises of Function heads of HR & CEO/Director)	• Employee investigating the grievance and liaising with the external stakeholder/s. • Developing resolutions and actions to rectify any issues. • Follow up and track progress of grievance.
Grievance Contact Officer	• Receive grievances and forward to Grievance Committee. • Makes sure the grievance mechanism procedure is being adhered to and followed correctly. • Maintains grievance register and monitor any correspondence. • Monitor grievances/trends over time and report findings to the Committee. • Document any interactions with external stakeholders.
Employees	• Report grievances in person. • Report grievance to the Grievance Contact Officer by lodging the Grievance Lodgement Form. • May provide information and assistance in developing a response and close out of a grievance.

7. Grievance Mechanism Process

The figure below describes the process that will be used to resolve any grievances:

A. Reception

The Grievance Officer receives all grievances that come through via email. The Grievance Officer will review the grievance form and process the grievance in accordance to this procedure.

B. Record

All formal grievances will be logged in the Grievance Register and Grievance Lodgement Forms will be saved in record of correspondence.

C. Acknowledge

A grievance will be acknowledged, by the grievance owner, within five working days of a grievance being submitted.

D. Investigate

The Grievance Officer along with the employees is responsible for investigating the grievance. The investigation may require the team to make site visits, consult employees, contact external stakeholders and complete other activities. Records of meetings, discussions and activities all need to be recorded during the investigation. Information gathered during the investigation will be analysed and will assist in determining how the grievance is handled and what steps need to be taken in order to resolve the grievance.

E. Act

Following the investigation, the Grievance Officer will use the findings to create an action plan outlining steps to be taken in order to resolve the grievance. The Grievance Officer is responsible for assigning actions, monitoring actions undertaken and making sure deadlines are adhered to. Once all actions have been completed and the team feels the grievance has been resolved, they will then formally advise the external stakeholder via their preferred method of contact.

F. Follow up and close out

The Grievance Officer will make contact with the external stakeholder(s) three weeks after the grievance is resolved. When contacting the external stakeholder, the Grievance Officer will verify that the outcome was satisfied and also gather any feedback on the grievance process.

8. Lodgement of Grievance Form

The Lodgement of Grievance Form (see  Lodgement of Grievance FORM ), together with all relevant documentation, shall be submitted by the employee concerned to the relevant Manager and by the external stakeholder to the Grievance Officer.

9. Confidentiality

All grievances will be treated by the Company with the utmost confidentiality. Information will only be disclosed on a need-to-know basis.

10. Retaliation

Retaliation against any employee for raising a grievance in good faith is strictly prohibited. Any employee found to be retaliating may face disciplinary action.

11. Review of Policy

This Policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains effective and compliant with relevant laws and best practices.

Reviewed & Approved: November 2024