Chopard has set up the present Grievance Procedure according to the following UN Principles: legitimacy, accessibility, predictability, equitability, (human) rights compatibility, transparency, dialogue-based and continuous learning to achieve its main outcome which is helping people whose rights may have been affected.
Each Grievance will be treated according to the following procedure:
1. Receiving the Grievance
The Grievance is received, logged in the system, treated as strictly confidential and acknowledged to the relevant Stakeholder.
2. Scope – applicability
The Corporate Sustainability Department will oversee the preliminary study of the Grievance, whether the Grievance relates to Chopard’s operations, to its policies or processes. If the Grievance is not in Chopard’s scope or if it is addressed pursuant Chopard Disciplinary and Grievance Policy for Chopard Employees, it will be closed, and the relevant Stakeholder will be informed accordingly.
Otherwise, the process will continue to the next step (stage 3 hereunder).
3. Investigation procedure
The Grievance will be undertaken by the Grievance Committee composed of the Financial Director (CFO), the Legal Director and the Head of Corporate Sustainability.
Chopard will use best endeavours to inform the relevant Stakeholder of the expected timeframe for considering the Grievance and where possible, its resolution. The Stakeholder will remain well informed about the progress of the procedure at each stage.
The investigation includes different actions dialogue-based (the list is not exhaustive)
- hearing the Stakeholder from whom the Grievance emanates (if not anonymously filed)
- hearing the person against whom the Grievance is made (if feasible)
- looking for any possible witnesses and questioning them.
4. Results
The Grievance Committee will be drawing up a report containing recommendations and/or actions for appropriate measures to be taken by Chopard in accordance with international standards and norms.
This report will be discussed with relevant Stakeholder and/or interested parties (where appropriate).
5. Monitoring
Based on the timeframe, the Corporate Sustainability Department will follow up on the different stages and monitor the procedure’s progress. It will then close the case further to the complete implementation of (corrective) actions defined in stage 4.