RMHC Canada is a charity providing services to the community and, as such, recognizes that donors and other stakeholders have the right to express opinions about the program and policies of the organization, or complain about situations if they believe RMHC Canada has not acted in accordance with its Mission and Values. The process for responding to complaints will be guided by the following principles:

• It is in the interest of all parties that complaints be dealt with promptly and resolved as quickly as possible
• Review of complaints is fair, impartial and respectful to all parties concerned

A complaint may be received verbally (in person or by phone), or in writing (by mail, fax or email), or via social media. An employee or volunteer who receives a complaint should determine the proper person to handle the matter. It is the responsibility of the person who receives the complaint to either resolve it or transfer it to another person who can resolve it. If a complaint cannot be easily resolved, the staff member or volunteer should consult with the appropriate Manager. Details of the complaint and contact information of the complainant must be documented to ensure timely follow up and resolution.

If the complaint is of a serious nature and has the potential to involve reputational risk to RMHC Canada, another RMHC Chapter, or other significant stakeholder, the CEO must be made aware immediately. The CEO will also notify the Chair of the Board of Directors, and they will jointly decide if others need to be notified. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the CEO may designate someone within the organization to undertake an investigation. The investigator is charged with documenting the details of the complaint, steps taken in the investigation, key findings, along with rationale and a recommendation for resolution. The CEO will evaluate whether additional consultation is required prior to communicating the resolution to the complainant. This same procedure is to be followed in all cases of a complaint involving the media. Following resolution of the complaint, all documentation is to be filed and the matter is logged on the Complaints Summary Report.

Where a complaint involves another Chapter, the CEO of RMHC Canada will promptly notify either the CEO or Board Chair (as appropriate) of the affected Chapter, and RMHC Global. An assessment of the seriousness and sensitivity of the matter must be undertaken, and steps taken to address the matter with appropriate regard to confidentiality and transparency. In all cases, the Chapter is to report the resolution to the CEO RMHC Canada.

In cases of serious or otherwise sensitive cases, the complaint can be escalated to the CEO whose decision will be final. The complainant should be kept informed of the status of their complaint and an estimated timeframe for follow up and resolution.
A summary of the complaints received including the number, nature of complaint (such as policy matter, dissatisfaction with service provided, or donor issue) and disposition will be provided to the Board of Directors annually (Complaints Summary Report).