Producers

alliance for grievance mechanisms

in supply chains

introduction

producers / producer groups or pack-houses as employers

demonstrate your commitment towards human rights and the environment

Learn how we can assist you as employer and supplier to a retail customer that partner with appellando. Learn how to start and benefit the most from an active appellando system participation.

how do I participate in the appellando system?

appellando is open for you to apply, if you are a producer / producer group or packinghouse of fresh fruit and vegetables in a countries where appellando operates and if you supply directly or indirectly to appellando retailers and buyers. See list here.

We establish helplines for enterprises that cultivate, pack, and store fresh fruit and vegetables. If you are solely a logistics provider or trading company, and you are interested in becoming part of appellando, please join appellando as a buyer. click here.

appellando is in the process of establishing at least one local helpline partner per country. If appellando has not yet identified a local helpline partner in your country of production, and you are a direct or indirect supplier within the sector serving appellando retailers or other partners, please reach out to them directly. Ask them to inform you about their plans to meet their legal obligation of implementing effective grievance mechanisms within their supply chain.

Additionally, you can sign up for the appellando Newsletter and receive updates on new countries and partners. If you want to be proactive in your country, consult with your industry associations to see if they are interested in starting a national multi-stakeholder dialogue to establish appellando in your country and sector.

producers

how do I start with appellando?

1. Find a suitable OGM Helpline Partner:

Start by identifying an appellando recognized OGM helpline partner in your country. You can refer to the list of recognized operational Grievance mechanism helplines to identify an appropriate partner.

2. Contact and register with the Local OGM Helpline Partner:

Reach out to one of appellando’s local helpline partners in your country. For instance, in Spain, you may contact NetAsesor and register online through their link. You may also collaborate with Canal Foros, as the appellando system acknowledges full participation with the helpline of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETF). To complete the registration process, you will need your GLOBALG.A.P. number (GGN) If you do not have a GGN, please contact the appellando office at info@appellando.org

As a producer group, it is not necessary to register all affiliated producers, but only those included in the supplier base of your customers.
If you represent a company that registers as trader or intermediary without a GLOBALG.A.P. IFA certification, you should use your GLN Number instead.

3. Sign the Participation Agreement:

It is required that you sign a system participation agreement with your local OGM helpline partner. By doing so, you agree to adhere to appellando’s regulations, which are aligned with international guidelines and laws. We accept participation agreements with certificate holders. Producers affiliated to a producer group themselves do not need to sign an own participation agreement.

4. Protect Your Data:

By signing the agreement, appellando OGM helplines agree to protect your personal and business data. Your basic information will be stored in the central appellando registration system, and only your status as appellando system participant will be published.

5. Participate in Trainings and Webinars:

Utilize the awareness webinar opportunities provided by appellando to learn about the system. There webinars are particularly designed to serve your management information needs as producers, producer groups, intermediaries and traders. The dates can be found here.

6. Communicate with Employees:

Your OGM helpline will offer you different options to train your employers about their human rights and environmental risks affecting them and about the process for submitting complaints. This ensures that management, supervisors and all workers are well informed about their duties and the rights in force.

producers

why should I participate in the appellando system?

appellando is an alliance of retailers, suppliers and other supporter aimed at reducing human rights violations and environmental risks in supply chains by offering effective and easily accessible grievance mechanism systems. Today, many companies are legally required to implement preventive actions with their suppliers. Establishing a grievance management system, involving suppliers, is crucial.

Participation in the appellando system offers the following significant advantages:

Participating in the appellando system allows for early detection and resolution of issues.
Grievance mechanisms enable employers and other supply chain actors to identify and resolve workplace and environmental issues early, preventing them from escalating into serious problems that could disrupt business operations.
The existence of a grievance mechanism signals that the company is willing to acknowledge, address, and learn from issues, creating a more constructive and cooperative environment.
Grievance mechanisms provide a formal channel for workers, including migrant and seasonal workers, to voice concerns and engage in constructive dialogue with their employers.
By allowing workers to voice concerns, grievance mechanisms can lead to higher worker satisfaction, better work outcomes, and productivity, which are crucial for business value.
Additionally, grievance mechanisms offer a tool for identifying potential risks. Information from these mechanisms allows farmers and other supply chain actors to take proactive measures to prevent worker strikes and supply chain disruptions.
Well-designed mechanisms enhance transparency regarding the handling of complaints and hold employers accountable for resolving issues, building trust in the fairness of the process.
As an appellando system participant, you have the chance to resolve complaints that are submitted to your neutral appellando helpline provider amicably with the complainants and anonymously for your customers, without the customer knowing about the complaint. Otherwise, many companies are legally required to immediately commission their own investigations if they learn of an individual complaint directly and resolve it with you directly.
As a system participant, you show that you are actively engaging in dialogue with employees and other individuals in your environment to build and maintain a good relationship within the framework of national laws.
The harmonization of appellando simplifies communication with employees and increases the effectiveness of complaint channels because you do not have to communicate many different customer-specific helplines on the farm, but everything works through one platform.

producers

how much
does it cost?

At appellando, neither producers/producer groups or pack-houses in Europe are required to pay any fees for registering or entering into a contractual agreement with an appellando helpline partner for the service as an Operational Grievance Mechanism (OGM) helpline to comply with German legislation applicable to your retail customers. This policy equally applies to the Directive (EU) 2024/1760 regarding due diligence obligations of companies concerning sustainability (CSDDD) as soon as it has been transposed into national country laws

You need to agree, however, to cover expenses deriving from complaints where direct costs arise from substantiated violations of protected legal goods under the LkSG or CSDDD. You will also need to pay for services related to other legal requirements such as the national whistleblower protection legislation.

Moreover, certain legally mandated training requirements or those that are part of agreed certification programs will still be funded by the producer. You are also responsible to provide for adequate work time and a location for your staff to attend free training sessions.

producers

where do I get support and training?

At appellando, we offer comprehensive support and training to ensure our suppliers and producers are well informed. We operate regular awareness webinars specifically designed for management. You can find the upcoming webinar dates here.

In addition to our webinars, our helpline partners provide a series of training sessions. For more information and to schedule your required training, please contact your OGM helpline operator.