Remedy and Complaints Compass
The Remedy and Complaints Compass helps people find possible avenues to seek remedy or make a complaint when a business is involved in human rights or environmental risk and harm.
With a focus on European legislation and global supply chains, the tool helps users identify possible options that may be relevant to their situation, as well as provide information on how to seek remedy and file complaints under a range of business and human rights laws and non-legal mechanisms.
As more frameworks and instruments are implemented across the globe, the tool will be updated with additional options for remedy or complaint.
Please note: This tool does not provide legal advice, remedy or a definitive answer on what framework is the best one to adopt for your specific case. It is designed to provide guidance as a starting point.
'Remedy' and other key terms
What do we mean by ‘remedy’?
Remedy means obtaining justice when your rights are harmed; this will often require a combination of elements, including an apology, restitution or compensation, cessation of a continuing abuse, and/or guaranteeing it doesn’t happen again.
What do we mean by ‘making a complaint’?
Making a complaint means bringing a harm or risk to your rights or the environment arising from business activity to the attention of a company or public body. A complaint might be the first step of getting remedy but sometimes, even when the complaint is addressed to some extent, this does not lead to proper remedy.
What do we mean by ‘human rights or environmental harm or risk connected to business activities’?
The harm can take many forms, including negative impact on your health, safety, labour rights, environment, land, livelihoods or culture.
A company can be connected to harm even if it did not directly cause it, including through its subsidiaries, its supply chains, business partners, products or investments.
Who is this tool for?
The Remedy and Complaints Compass is a resource for anyone seeking information on how to seek remedy and/or make a complaint about human rights or environmental risks and harms connected to business activities. This includes people who have experienced harm or risk themselves, as well as trade unions, lawyers, community groups, civil society organisations or other people supporting them. The tool also offers information and tips to help navigate these options, including their limitations.
How do I use the tool?
Answer the questions below and the tool will suggest the pathways that may be most appropriate for your situation. Alternatively, scroll down for an overview of the broad types of remedy and complaint options, or for an overview of specific laws, international frameworks and other pathways under which you may be able to seek remedy or file a complaint.
You can also consult the legal assistance directory or explore our list of helpdesks and other online information tools.
Answer these questions for tailored suggestions
Broad types of remedy and complaint options
Click here for an overview of the types of remedy or complaint options, or explore one of the below options in more detail.
Lawsuits
Lawsuits can be filed in court to get a legally binding decision, for example to get compensation or to stop or prevent harmful practices.
Complaints with public agencies or bodies
States set up public agencies and independent public bodies that make sure companies comply with the law. Sometimes, they can receive and look into complaints.
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Other remedy or complaint options (including company-based mechanisms)
Aside from judicial and non-judicial state-based options, there are other options that can lead to access to remedy.
Specific laws and other remedy and complaint frameworks
If you want quick access to more detailed information, click here for a full overview of specific laws, international frameworks and other pathways under which you may be able to seek remedy or make a complaint, or explore one particular mechanism straightaway.
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Legal assistance directory
This is our international directory of lawyers and NGOs working on cases of business-related human rights and environmental abuse. It aims to help victims of abuse find individual legal assistance in a range of countries – including countries where victims are located and those where large companies are based. More funding and opportunities are urgently needed in this space.
Helpdesks and online information tools
👥 Competence Centre for Human Rights Due Diligence: helpdesk for any trade union or worker rights groups globally, staffed with experts to advise and support the use of human rights due diligence channels to strengthen workers’ rights.
👥 EU Due Diligence Navigator for Partner Countries: dedicated service that supports stakeholders in EU partner countries to find information and support on the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). It also offers a curated overview of a wide range of support available from the European Commission, EU Member States and other organisations.
👥 The Counter: SOMO’s global helpdesk investigating companies by “following the money” to reveal corporate and capital structures, shell companies in tax havens, hidden profits, secret owners, supply chains, and influential investors.
💻 Routes to Remedy (R2R) Toolkit: details the avenues to remedy, including grievance mechanisms and substantive remedies, at the disposal of defenders in seven selected jurisdictions (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam) and internationally.
💻 Bank Human Rights Complaints Channels – A Users' Guide: designed by Banktrack to support rights-holders and their representatives, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders, in understanding how to raise human rights complaints with commercial banks and pursue remedy when adverse impacts occur.
🌍 Accountability and Remedy Project (ARP): run by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights since 2024 to strengthen implementation of the "Access to Remedy" pillar of the UN Guiding Principle on Business and Human Rights. The reports for each phase are important reference documents.
💻 Business and human rights in law: provides up-to-date information on both adopted laws and tabled legal proposals on business and human rights. It catalogues and describes litigation involving allegations of overseas harm. The website features a practical tool that facilitates the comparative analysis of legislative initiatives, across jurisdictions.
💻 Accountability Toolkit: a one-stop platform from the Accountability Counsel for tools, data, and insights to hold banks and companies accountable for harm they cause to people and the planet using accountability mechanisms set up by development banks and other international financial institutions, as well as other avenues of complaint.
💻 Corporate Accountability Resource Bank: Open Supply Hub and WikiRates’ community-managed database of tools, organised into 11 categories including 'supply chain mapping & tracing' and 'worker voice, grievance & remediation'.
Click here for dedicated tools focusing on company and supply chain information and transparency.
This Compass is possible thanks to the support of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).