Complaints & Disputes Policy

This policy outlines how Impossible Metals receives, acknowledges and manages complaints from internal and external sources.

Approach to Complaints

Impossible Metals takes the grievances and complaints of employees, contractors and stakeholders seriously, and is committed to ensuring that its operations are supportive, productive and ethical at all times.

  • Complaints and disputes are managed by Impossible Metals employees in the following manner:
  • Complaints and disputes will at all times be managed in accordance with the Diversity, Equality and Anti-Discrimination Policy, and no person making a complaint will be adversely affected because a complaint has been made by them or on their behalf;
  • Confidentiality of the person making the complaint will be respected where it is practical to do so. Anonymous complaints will be accepted by Impossible Metals where there is a compelling reason for the complainant to remain anonymous. Confidential investigation of anonymous complaints will be carried out where there is enough information provided to facilitate investigation;
  • Complaints and disputes will be recorded, investigated and managed in a transparent, impartial manner, affording due process to both the complainant and the subject of the complaint;
  • The outcome of complaints and disputes will be clearly communicated to all parties involved.

Impossible Metals encourages prompt and effective resolution of complaints and disputes. The Impossible Metals induction includes guidance on the process for making a complaint, and all members of the Impossible Metals team are encouraged to raise issues for resolution promptly to limit the potential for escalation, and to maintain a positive working culture.

Complaints by Employees, Contractors & Directors

Complaints by employees and contractors should be directed in the first instance to the immediate supervisor of that person. Where a complainant believes this Policy and the Complaints and Disputes Procedure have not been effectively or adequately implemented, or the complaint refers to an immediate supervisor of the complainant, the complainant may refer the complaint to a member of the Leadership Team, or the Chair of the Board. A complainant may also refer the complaint to an external agency at any stage.

At the discretion of the Chief Executive Officer, external consultants may be engaged for the purposes of dispute resolution or the investigation of complaints.

Complaints by External Stakeholders

It is recognized that from time to time an external stakeholder may be dissatisfied with an action by Impossible Metals or its employees. External stakeholders may lodge a complaint to the relevant member of the Leadership Team, or via le***@im**************.com. When an external stakeholder makes a complaint, that complaint will be recorded by the Chief Sustainability Officer on the Complaints Register, and a formal process of dispute resolution undertaken according to the Complaints and Disputes Procedure.

Impossible Metals prefers that complaints are made directly to Impossible Metals, however acknowledges that external stakeholders may prefer to make a complaint to an external agency. The disclosure of personal information of participants, employees, contractors or volunteers to an investigating agency will comply with the Collection, Storage and Use of Information Policy.

Resolution of Complaints and Continuous Improvement

Where specific actions relating to organizational processes are identified as being relevant to the resolution of a complaint or dispute, these will be documented in the complaints register and communicated transparently to all parties to the complaint. The Impossible Metals Risk Register will also be updated where the complaint represents a new risk to the organization or its stakeholders, or the escalation of an existing risk. It is the responsibility of the Chief Sustainability Officer to monitor the implementation of any actions identified as part of a dispute resolution process or the outcome of a complaint investigation. Impossible Metals is committed to a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, and uses the complaints and disputes process to identify areas for improvement in process and performance.

Management of Performance and/or Misconduct

Where a complaint or dispute (and the subsequent investigation process) identifies the occurrence of poor performance or misconduct by an employee, contractor or director, the adverse performance management process outlined in the Employee Handbook will be implemented. This may result in the development of a performance management plan for, or disciplinary action against, an employee, contractor or director. Anyone found to have knowingly provided false information, or knowingly made a complaint without any substantive merit, may be subject to separate disciplinary action.

Changes to this Policy

This policy is reviewed under Impossible Metals’s mandatory annual policy review schedule and is next due for formal review in December 2023.

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