Complaints Policy
1. Introduction
The FCLI has a commitment to high standards and continual self-improvement. It recognises that the quality of the services it offers is crucial to its future success by virtue of repeat custom and subsequent word of mouth. Moreover, the FCLI works hard to be an integral part of the local community, it cares about those who engage with the farm, and consequently stakeholder feedback of every nature is taken seriously. Our stakeholders may come in several forms including volunteers, donors, newsletter subscribers and general visitors as well as café and farm shop customers. Recording stakeholder concerns and complaints demonstrates that we value their input and opinions, and that we will act upon them.
Stakeholder complaints are also a useful internal tool to encourage improvement and to measure ongoing successes (measure of level of complaints over time).
2. Aims and objectives
To ensure stakeholder complaints are recorded accurately, acted upon appropriately and utilised to facilitate business progression and demonstrate community engagement and concern.
3. Policy statement
All staff within the FCLI must record stakeholder complaints/concerns using the forms provided as soon as they occur following the FCLI Complaints Procedure. Contact details will be taken if follow up is required (otherwise nature of stakeholder is recorded).
The FCLI Deputy Manager will check complaints on a monthly basis to ensure issues are being dealt with appropriately and for the purposes of reporting to the FCLI Board.
If a complaint/concern is made which is deemed to be detrimental to the public image of FCLI or may have legal consequences, then it should be reported to the FCLI Manager immediately. The FCLI Manager will subsequently report this to the FCLI Board Chair.
Following a complaint of lesser importance and subsequent remedial action, the FCLI Deputy Manager will, within 2 months of the complaint arising, confirm in writing that changes in e.g. working practices, systems of work, equipment or furniture, services etc. have been implemented.
All complaints should be documented on the Complaints Spreadsheet, together with details of remedial actions, notifications etc., and presented to the Business and Finance sub-group
in the first instance for comments and approval, and subsequently to the full Board on a quarterly basis.
General principles:
- Stakeholder complaints are dealt with promptly, efficiently, courteously and systematically. No complaint should take longer than one month to be resolved.
- Stakeholder complaints are treated confidentially and fairly.
- Stakeholders are kept informed of the progress and outcome of their complaints (if appropriate).
4. Monitoring complaints
See paragraph above
5. Reporting requirements
A small stock of pro forma complaints log forms is provided to each department for ease of completion. Completed forms should behanded to the Deputy Manager who will decide what actions are required.
6. Confidentiality
Except in exceptional circumstances, every attempt will be made to ensure that both the complainant and FCLI maintain confidentiality. However, the circumstances giving rise to the complaint may be such that it may not be possible to maintain confidentiality (with each complaint judged on its own merit). Should this be the case, the situation will be explained to the complainant.
7. Training requirements
Health and Safety
Disability and Discrimination awareness
Food Hygiene where appropriate