Complaint & Grievance Handling

Purpose

Skillwise International is committed to maintaining a respectful, transparent, and supportive environment for all employees, migrant workers, clients, suppliers, and other stakeholders. We recognize that concerns and grievances may arise and are committed to resolving them promptly, fairly, impartially, and confidentially.

This policy establishes an accessible grievance mechanism that enables individuals to raise complaints without fear of retaliation. All grievances are handled in accordance with applicable laws, organizational policies, and internationally recognized ethical recruitment standards.

Our commitment

Skillwise is committed to:

• Providing a safe, accessible, and confidential grievance mechanism.
• Treating every complaint fairly, objectively, and without discrimination.
• Protecting complainants from retaliation, intimidation, or victimization.
• Respecting the privacy and confidentiality of all parties involved.
• Investigating complaints impartially and taking appropriate corrective actions.
• Resolving grievances within a reasonable timeframe.
• Continuously improving our grievance management system through monitoring and feedback.

Scope

This policy applies to:

• Employees
• Job applicants and migrant workers
• Clients and employers
• Business partners and suppliers
• Contractors
• Any stakeholder associated with Skillwise International

Types of grievances

Complaints may relate to, but are not limited to:

• Recruitment practices
• Recruitment fees and intermediaries
• Workplace conditions
• Discrimination or harassment
• Forced labor or unethical recruitment practices
• Misconduct or violations of company policies
• Health and safety concerns
• Human rights or labor rights violations
• Any unfair, unethical, or unlawful action affecting workers or stakeholders

Grievance handling principles

Skillwise ensures that:

• Complaints may be submitted verbally, in writing, electronically, or anonymously.
• Confidentiality is maintained throughout the grievance process.
• Workers may appoint a third party to submit a complaint on their behalf.
• Every complaint is acknowledged, recorded, investigated, and resolved objectively.
• Decisions are based on evidence and communicated to the complainant whenever appropriate.
• No individual will face retaliation for raising a complaint in good faith.

Grievance Handling Committee

A dedicated Grievance Handling Committee, appointed by the Chairman or Managing Director, is responsible for managing complaints. The committee includes representatives from different departments and levels of the organization.

Grievance procedure

1. Raise the concern. Whenever possible, concerns should first be discussed informally with the immediate supervisor or relevant department to encourage early resolution.
2. Submit a formal complaint. If the matter cannot be resolved informally or is of a serious nature, a formal complaint may be submitted through any of the approved grievance channels.
3. Registration & acknowledgement. Every complaint is registered, acknowledged, and reviewed by the Grievance Handling Committee.
4. Investigation. The committee conducts a fair and impartial investigation, gathering relevant information from all concerned parties while maintaining confidentiality.
5. Resolution. Based on the investigation findings, appropriate corrective actions are taken and the outcome is communicated to the complainant whenever applicable.
6. Follow-up. The committee monitors the implementation of agreed actions to ensure that the grievance has been effectively resolved.

Worker protection

For migrant workers, Skillwise provides additional support where necessary. Depending on the nature of the complaint and applicable legal requirements, assistance may include coordination with employers, mediation, rescue and repatriation support, or other remedies in accordance with Nepal's Foreign Employment Act and relevant contractual obligations.

Accessibility

Grievances may be submitted through any of the following channels:

• Email: info@skillwiseinternational.com
• Phone: 015927217
• In person: Grievance Handling Committee, Skillwise International, Basundhara-3, Kathmandu, Nepal
• Online: the grievance form on this page

All complaints are treated confidentially and handled only by authorized personnel.

Whistleblowing

Skillwise encourages employees, workers, and stakeholders to report suspected misconduct, unethical behavior, fraud, corruption, labor rights violations, or any breach of this policy.

Whistleblowers may submit complaints anonymously. Skillwise strictly prohibits retaliation against any individual who reports concerns honestly and in good faith.