Projekte

Non-judicial grievance mechanisms play an increasingly important role in ensuring effective (legal) protection and rightsholder engagement in the field of Business and Human Rights (BHR). They are intended to complement state-based court proceedings, thereby creating greater access to justice within a remedy ecosystem. We have been extensively researching non-judicial remedy in Business and Human Rights since 2019.

Beyond access – the potential of non-judicial grievance mechanisms to improve effective remedy for vulnerable groups in the field of Business and Human Rights (funded by the DFG, 2024 – 2026)

This research project focuses on the critical issue of access to effective remedy in the field of Business and Human Rights, particularly for vulnerable groups. The understanding of vulnerability and the necessary measures to address the specific needs of these groups within the human rights remedy system remains limited. Additionally, there is no universal concept of vulnerability in the BHR field.

The project aims to thoroughly explore how procedural and substantive non-judicial remedies can be effectively developed for vulnerable groups. It started by critically examining the current discourse on vulnerability and intersectionality within the field of BHR. By analysing the interplay of access, procedural design, and outcome of non-judicial grievance mechanisms, the project seeks to identify the barriers faced by vulnerable groups, with a specific focus on women and minors. Furthermore, the project will investigate the potential and limitations of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in overcoming or mitigating the identified barriers.

Overall, this research project aims to provide valuable insights and recommendations for researchers and practitioners working on vulnerability and remedy in the field of BHR. By addressing the gaps in understanding and exploring effective non-judicial remedies, it seeks to contribute to the improvement of access to justice for vulnerable groups and the overall promotion of human rights in business practices.

Non-judicial grievance mechanisms in supply chains – Reviewing the effectiveness and design of "Systems of Continuous Learning" at the intersection of regulation and self-regulation (funded by the Fritz Thyssen Foundation, 2023 – 2025)

This research project focuses on the examination and optimisation of non-judicial grievance mechanisms in supply chains in the context of business, human rights, and the environment. The project is situated within the framework of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG), which mandates companies to establish such mechanisms. As per the LkSG, companies are required to assess the effectiveness of their grievance mechanisms regularly and occasion-specifically. However, companies face significant uncertainties on how to structure their grievance mechanisms in accordance with the LkSG and the criteria by which to assess the machanisms' effectiveness.

The research project aims to investigate the various conceptions of “effective” grievance mechanisms. A particular focus will be placed on approaches to optimise the effectiveness of grievance mechanisms and the overarching due diligence processes. It will also explore how grievance mechanisms can operate as “Systems of Continuous Learning”.

The findings of this study are intended to provide recommendations for an effective assessment and optimisation of grievance mechanisms through the utilisation of “Systems of Continuous Learning”. These recommendations are meant to be applicable not only within the immediate scope of the LkSG but shall also offer practical and theoretical guidance for scholars and practitioners in the field of Business and Human Rights.

Research project “Non-judicial Grievance Mechanisms in Global Supply Chains: Recommendations for Institutionalisation, Implementation and Procedural Design" (commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Justice, 2019 – 2021)

From the end of 2019 until July 2021, a research team from the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) led by Prof. Dr. Ulla Gläßer worked on a research project commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Justice to investigate the potential of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) regarding the design of non-state non-judicial grievance mechanisms for those affected by human rights violations in global supply chains.

Based on an in-depth analysis of selected existing grievance mechanisms, we first developed a differentiated system of governance criteria covering institutionalisation, implementation, procedural design, and the development of systems of continuous learning. In addition, we conducted interviews with experts from companies, trade unions, NGOs, and non-judicial grievance mechanisms. Good practice examples were identified during the review of these existing mechanisms based on the effectiveness criteria of the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights (UNGP). The deliberate knowledge transfer from the established practice of German consumer arbitration bodies yielded additional valuable insights, especially on institutionalisation possibilities and quality assurance of ADR offers.

Based on these findings, we developed the comprehensive Integrative Grievance System (IGS) as a prototypical model, which combines practice-oriented recommendations for the design of multi-stakeholder, non-judicial grievance mechanisms in the field of Business and Human Rights.

Overall, the research report aims to demonstrate that effective grievance mechanisms should be integral components of (regulatory) approaches to improving living and working conditions along global value chains. The comprehensive research report “Non-judicial Grievance Mechanisms in Global Supply Chains: Recommendations for Institutionalisation, Implementation and Procedural Design" published on 20 September 2021 is available for download in full (in German) with compact executive summaries available in German and English on the website of the Federal Ministry of Justice. 

The following publications have been completed to date in the field of Business and Human Rights (English publications in bold):

• Gläßer, Ulla / Schmitz, Dominik: Effektive Beschwerdemechanismen entlang von Lieferketten, NJW 2023, S. 1465-1470 (Translation: Effective grievance mechanisms in supply chains)
• Gläßer, Ulla / Kühn, Katharina: Kommentierung von § 8 LkSG, in: Henn, Elisabeth / Jahn, Jannika (Hrsg.), Beck-OK LkSG (Online-Kommentar zum Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz), 2023 (fortlaufende Aktualisierung) (Engl.: Commentary on § 8 of the German Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains)
• Gläßer, Ulla / Bond, Helene: Ein Beschwerde- und Abhilfesystem innerhalb transnationaler Lieferketten. Fokus: Leder, Lederprodukte und Schuhe Hrsg: INKOTA-netzwerk e.V. 2022 (Engl.: A grievance and remedy system within transnational supply chains)
• Gläßer, Ulla / Bond, Helene: Working Paper: An Effective System for Grievances and Remedy in Transnational Supply Chains. Focus: Leather, leather products and footwear. Ed: INKOTA-netzwerk e.V. 2022
• Gläßer, Ulla / Pfeiffer, Robert / Schmitz, Dominik / Bond, Helene: Das Integrative Grievance System – ein Modell für die effektive Gestaltung und Implementierung außergerichtlicher Beschwerdemechanismen entlang globaler Lieferketten, Rethinking Law 2/2022, S. 68 ff. (Engl.: The Integrative Grievance System: a model for the effective design and implementation of non-judicial grievance mechanisms in global supply chains)
• Gläßer, Ulla / Pfeiffer, Robert / Schmitz, Dominik / Bond, Helene: Außergerichtliche Beschwerdemechanismen entlang globaler Lieferketten. Bericht über ein Forschungsprojekt, ZKM 6/2021, S. 228-233 (Engl.: Non-judicial grievance mechanisms in global supply chains: report about a research project)
• Gläßer, Ulla / Pfeiffer, Robert / Schmitz, Dominik / Bond, Helene: Außergerichtliche Beschwerdemechanismen entlang globaler Lieferketten – Empfehlungen für die Institutionalisierung, Implementierung und Verfahrensausgestaltung (2021) (Engl.: Non-judicial Grievance Mechanisms in Global Supply Chains: Recommendations for Institutionalisation, Implementation and Procedural Design)
• Gläßer, Ulla / Kück, Claudia: The Hague Rules on Business and Human Rights Arbitration - A Balancing Act, SchiedsVZ 3/2020, S. 124-133
  
  

We presented and discussed our research results at the following events:

• Business and Human Rights Conference 2024 – New Scientific Approaches (Organised by: Deutsches Institut für Menschenrechte & TU Bergakademie Freiberg), Berlin 12/13 April 2024
• Gläßer, Ulla: „Implementing effective non-judicial grievance mechanisms in supply chains – the potential of interactive research“
• Laube, Jenny: „Responsive, adaptive, stimulative - Designing grievance mechanisms as a component of learning risk management systems“
• National Roundtable on Access to Remedy and Social Dialogue in Leather and Leather Footwear Supply Chains (Organised by: Cividep India, Society for Labour and Development), Chennai/India, 26 April 2023
• Workshop on Grievance Mechanisms and the German Supply Chain Act (Organised by: Society for Labour and Development, Cividep India, INKOTA Network), Chennai/India, 25 April 2023
• Symposium "Effective Enforcement of the German Supply Chain Duty Act - Civil Society's Expectations towards the BAFA" (Organised by: Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Cora Netzwerk für Unternehmensverantwortung, Initiative Lieferkettengesetz.de), Berlin, 27 January 2023
• Working session to discuss the Integrated Grievance System with representatives of UNI Global Union, 5 December 2022
• Bucerius Mediation Competition 2022, Hamburg (online), 25 November 2022
• Working meeting to discuss the Integrated Grievance System with representatives of the Indian NGOs Cividep and Society for Labour and Development (SLD), Berlin, 22 November 2022
• Sector Dialogue on the Automotive Industry, Berlin, 27 September 2022
• TMC Asser Expert Meeting on Business and Human Rights Arbitration, The Hague, 12 April 2022
• Expert-Workshop “Grievance and Remedy in Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Supply Chains” (German: "Beschwerde und Abhilfe in Leder-, Lederwaren und Schuhlieferketten"), 28 March 2022
• Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, 10 March 2022
• Texas A&M University School of Law, Dispute Resolution Symposium – "ADR Works-in-Progress", 5 March 2022
• Forum on Sustainable Cocoa, 20 January 2022
• Support Group for the Implementation of the Swiss National Action Plan (NAP) "Business and Human Rights" by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO, 18 November 2021
• Working Group Business and Human Rights, 11 November 2021
• Public presentation of the research report in English (Organised by: German Federal Ministry of Justice), Online, 10 November 2021
• Inter-ministerial Committee on Business and Human Rights (IMA), ORTSANGABE, 26 October 2021
• Council of Europe Workshop "Environment, Human Rights and Business: a framework for addressing environmental protection challenges", 27 April 2021
• Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs (German: Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS)), International Conference "Global Supply Chains - Global Responsibility. Human rights and good labour in global supply chains", 6/7 October 2020
• Federal Ministry of Justice (German: Bundesministerium für Justiz und Verbraucherschutz (BMJV)) Stakeholder Conference "Potential of Alternative Dispute Resolution for Human Rights Violations in the Area of Corporate Responsibility", 14 September 2020
• Sector dialogue of the automotive industry, working group "Establishing an Independent Grievance Mechanism in the automotive industry", 24 June 2020
• Meeting of the Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs Working Group on Business and Human Rights, 14 January 2020
  
  

Our research informed the following courses and seminars:

• Seminar “Designing non-judicial grievance mechanisms in transnational supply chains as learning systems – For the benefit of rights-holders and businesses alike” (Jenny Laube) as part of the INSEEC International Week, Paris/France, March 2024
• Lecture "Alternative Dispute Resolution – types of procedure at a glance" (Prof. Ulla Gläßer) at European-University Viadrina, Summer Terms 2023 und 2021
• School of German Law (Robert Pfeiffer and Dominik Schmitz), European-University Viadrina/AMU Poznan, Summer Term 2021
• Lecture “Human rights violations within the responsibility of German companies – potential and limits of judicial legal protection and non-judicial proceedings” (Prof. Ulla Gläßer) at European-University Viadrina, Summer Term 2020

We work continuously on various aspects of optimising effective grievance mechanisms in the field of business and human rights.

 

 

• Modelle und justizpolitische Zielsetzungen der gerichtsverbundenen Mediation
• Fragen der Qualitätssicherung
• Wissenschaftliche Begleitung der Pilotierungsphase zur Einführung der Gerichtlichen Mediation in der Zivilgerichtsbarkeit im Land Brandenburg
• Aus- und Fortbildung von Richtermediatoren
• Veranstalter der Reihe "Berliner Symposien zur gerichtlichen Mediation" (2007, 2008, 2010) (mit dem Landgericht Berlin und der Berliner Rechtsanwaltskammer)
• Mitglied des Beirats für die gerichtliche Mediation an den Berliner Zivilgerichten
• Herausgeberschaft des Sammelbandes "Gerichtliche Mediation – Grundsatzfragen, Etablierungserfahrungen und Zukunftsperspektiven ", Nomos Verlag, Baden-Baden 2011 (mit Kirsten Schroeter)

• Ansätze des Konfliktmanagements in der Wirtschaft im Vergleich
• Konfliktmanagementsysteme in Unternehmen und Organisationen
• Fragen der Qualitätssicherung
• Empirische Studienreihe zu "Konfliktmanagement in deutschen Großunternehmen" (2005, 2007, 2009-11) (mit Lars Kirchhoff und PricewaterhouseCoopers)
• Mitveranstalterin der Tagungsreihe "Konfliktmanagement in der deutschen Wirtschaft" an der Bucerius Law School (2005, 2007, 2009) (mit Lars Kirchhoff)
• Ausbildung von unternehmensinternen Mediatoren
• Wissenschaftliche Begleitung des Round Table der deutschen Wirtschaft zu Mediation und Konfliktmanagement (siehe www.rtmkm.de)

• Möglichkeiten und Modelle der Integration von Mediation in das Leistungsangebot von Rechtsschutzversicherungen
• Fragen der Qualitätssicherung und des Verbraucherschutzes
• Vortrags- und Publikationstätigkeit
• Betreuung von empirischen Forschungsarbeiten

• Nutzbarkeit mediativer Methodik im notariellen Berufsalltag
• Besonderheiten der notariellen Rolle als neutraler Dritter: Vermittlungspotential
• Fortbildung von Notaren und Notarassessoren
• Publikationsprojekt

• Systematisierung von wissenschaftlichen und praktischen Grundlagen der Mediationsmethodik
• Risiken und Grenzen der Einsatzfähigkeit von Mediation
• Schnittmengen und Kombinationsfähigkeit von Mediation mit anderen Verfahren
• Kontinuierliche (Weiter-)Entwicklung von Ausbildungskonzeptionen und -bausteinen für Mediationsausbildungen
• Mitherausgeberin und Autorin der Reihe „Lehrmodule Mediation“ in der Zeitschrift für Konfliktmanagement (ZKM)
• Herausgeberin der neuen Reihe „Interdisziplinäre Studien zu Mediation und Konfliktmanagement“ im Nomos-Verlag (ab 2011) (mit Lars Kirchhoff und Kirsten Schroeter)
• Herausgeberin der Reihe „Viadrina Schriften zu Mediation und Konfliktmanagement“ im Metzner Verlag (ab 2015) (mit Nicole Becker, Kirsten Schroeter und Felix Wendenburg)
• Mitarbeit im Redaktionsbeirates der Zeitschrift für Konfliktmanagement (ZKM)

• Rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen der Arbeit von Mediatoren: allgemeine Regelungen auf nationaler und EU-Ebene
• Besonderheiten mit Blick auf unterschiedliche Einsatzbereiche von Mediation und die Rolle des Berufsrechts des Herkunftsberufs eines Mediators
• Vertragsgestaltung im Rahmen von Mediationsverfahren
• Kommentierung des Mediationsgesetzes: Handkommentar zum Mediationsgesetz im Nomos Verlag,  2. Aufl., Baden-Baden 2018

 

• Normative und individuelle Ansätze von Qualitätssicherung der Mediation
• Wissenschaftliche Begleitung und Unterstützung von Mediationsprojekten
• Entwicklung von Selbstevaluationskonzepten
• Supervision und Intervision für Mediatoren
• Entwicklung und Vermittlung von Feedbackmodelle in der Mediation

 

Alle (Forschungs-)Aktivitäten des Instituts für Konfliktmanagement finden Sie unter: www.europa-uni.de/ikm