Complaints, Conflict Resolution and Appeals Process:
AJP is committed to managing the Food Justice Certification process in a fair and transparent manner. We appreciate feedback, and have developed a system to receive and respond to concerns.
To read our Complaints, Conflict Resolution and Appeals Process language in-depth, please click here to download this section from our Policy Manual.
Summary of the Process:We handle complaints through one process, and conflict resolution and appeals through another process.
Complaints: Concerns raised by anyone about the integrity of AJP labeled products or entities, the AJP certification process, AJP standards, the behavior or actions of AJP representatives, or AJP policies. An example of a complaint would be a complaint of unprofessional behavior on the part of an AJP representative in their capacity as accreditor, standards maintenance, or technical assistance. A customer could also make a complaint, for example, raising questions about whether an AJP certified product comes from a farm or business that truly adheres to AJP standards.
Conflict resolution: We are using this term for internal issues between parties that are directly involved in AJP certified farms and businesses. All grievances reported between parties within the AJP certified supply chain will be treated as internal and subject to conflict resolution. AJP standards require that every certified farm or business must have a conflict resolution procedure outlined for the workplace or farmer/buyer or business-to-business contracts. Examples of an internal conflict resolution would be: a worker’s claim of the employer’s failure to comply with AJP standards, or a farmer’s claim of a buyer’s failure to comply with AJP standards.
Appeals: If either the subject of a complaint or the person submitting a complaint is unsatisfied with the outcome, an appeal can be made to the AJP Management Committee together with the Advisory Council.
Process for Filing a Complaint:Complaints should be submitted in writing to AJP:
Agricultural Justice Project
P.O. Box 510
4 South Jersey Drive
Glassboro NJ, 08020
or Fax: 856-881-2027, ATTN: AJP Complaints
or Email: agjusticeproject@gmail.com
Phone: 856-881-2025
The person writing or submitting the complaint should explain their relationship to the project or the individuals mentioned in the complaint.
Exceptions will be made for those who cannot be reasonably expected to submit a complaint in writing. This could include illiteracy or low levels of literacy, language barriers, or cultural reasons. In those cases AJP will work with its partners to ensure that complaints are documented in a complete manner, translated if necessary, and handled on an equal basis with written complaints.
Steps in the Complaints Process
(Please read the Complaints section of the AJP Policy Manual before filing a complaint.)
1. Investigator assigned to assess validity and scope of complaint (1 week)
2. Investigator gathers preliminary information to determine validity and scope of complaint and communicates finding to complainant and, if AJP representatives or personnel are involved, to them (3 weeks)
3. If investigator declares complaint is not relevant for further investigation, complainant can appeal within 3 weeks.
4. If found to be relevant for further investigation, investigator gathers additional information to formulate recommendations and submits findings and recommendation to Management Committee (3 weeks).
5. Management Committee reviews findings and recommendations and decides by consensus whether to endorse recommendations or request further investigation. Management Committee informs all relevant parties of this decision (2 weeks).
6. Subject or complainant has the right to appeal (3 weeks).
7. AJP files records.
8. AJP assesses if a change in the quality system is needed and if so, change will be made and posted to website and sent out to clients.
AJP defines conflict resolution as a process through which two or more parties who disagree about an issue can resolve their differences. AJP requires that all certified entities and all AJP approved certifiers have conflict resolution procedures in place and documented. AJP also has a conflict resolution procedure for any conflicts that arise within the AJP Management Committee, Advisory Council, or between certifiers and or worker or farmer organizations and AJP. In addition, the AJP conflict resolution process can always be used as another tier in conflict resolution for certified entities or accredited certifiers. In these cases it serves as an appeal of the lower tier conflict resolution outcome. Any individuals working for a certified entity, or working for an accredited certifier or approved worker organization may request use of the AJP conflict resolution process. The owner of a certified entity may bring such a request as well.
Contact AJP regarding use of Conflict Resolution Procedure:
Agricultural Justice Project
P.O. Box 510
4 South Jersey Drive
Glassboro NJ, 08020
or Fax: 856-881-2027, ATTN: AJP Conflict Resolution
or Email: agjusticeproject@gmail.com
Phone: 856-881-2025
Steps in Conflict Resolution and Appeals Process:
(Please read the Conflict Resolution and Appeals section the Policy Manual before contacting AJP.)
Step 1: Once a request is received for the use of the AJP Conflict Resolution Procedures, the AJP Advisory Council Conflict Resolution Committee will assign an investigator to gather information on the dispute and propose a plan for resolving the conflict. The investigator will be free from conflict of interest.
Step 2: The investigator will submit a summary of the information gathered about the dispute, the relevance of it within AJP’s scope, and recommendations for next steps for the disputing parties to the Conflict Resolution Committee. This committee is comprised of Advisory Council members with broad stakeholder representation of farmers, workers, buyers, NGOs, etc., who are free of conflict of interest in the specific matter. The committee will work by consensus and will vote only in the event that consensus cannot be reached (any vote requiring three-fourths to be final).
Steps recommended may include:
• A face to face meeting with disputing parties and their representatives and an individual who will serve as a mediator or
• A formal meeting between the conflicting parties with a mediation service. In many areas of the country (in 30 states), there are Centers for Dispute Settlement which offer conflict resolution and mediation services by trained mediators free of charge to farms or for a moderate fee. A mediation session allows both parties to fully state their understanding of what happened, facilitates good listening to one another, and then helps work out a practical solution to the conflict that is acceptable to both parties.
• In cases when a dispute has not gone through or not satisfactorily gone through the appropriate lower tier conflict resolution procedure of a certified entity or accredited certifier the investigator may recommend
• That the conflicting parties again try direct engagement in good faith
• Changes to the lower tier conflict resolution procedure to make it more effective.
Step 3: The AJP Conflict Resolution committee approves the recommended next steps or requests further information gathering.
Step 4: The AJP conflict resolution committee implements the appropriate recommendations and works with the disputing parties to resolve the conflict/disagreement.
Step 5: The final step can be for either party to appeal to an impartial and respected ombudsperson participating in the Agricultural Justice Project from a list pre-selected by AJP, and mutually agreed to by both parties involved in the dispute. Should the final appeal call for the reinstatement of an employee, the employer has the option of offering a severance package that is mutually acceptable.
