People who are dissatisfied with the performance or the manner in which tasks are carried out at one of our events naturally have the opportunity to file a complaint. This applies to all contributors, participants, service users, and people under our care.
Within the ESR, the professional staff members and the board are available in writing and in person for general complaints. Contact details for the professional staff members and the board are always accessible on the ESR website.
For specific complaints about managers, the relevant supervisor is responsible (in the case of professional staff members, the board; in the case of board members, the chairs; in the case of one of the chairs, the remaining board members; and in the case of volunteers, the professional staff member).
Upon receipt of a complaint, the responsible person or persons will check whether immediate remedy can be provided or whether a review and clarification are necessary. If immediate remedy is possible, it shall be initiated without delay by the responsible person or persons.
If immediate remedy is not possible, all persons affected will first be heard. Telephone conversations are preferred over email correspondence. The complaint will be reviewed for plausibility and, where applicable, possible remedies will be examined, and desired and possible remedies will be discussed with those involved. If errors are identified, preventive measures should also be taken where possible.
In more complicated cases involving complaints about volunteers, the full-time staff member may involve the board. In this case, the board makes the final decision on measures, and should coordinate with the full-time staff member in doing so.
In other cases, the responsible person or persons make the final decision on remedial measures and, if necessary, preventive measures after clarification and review.
The complainant will be informed at regular intervals about the status of the complaint handling and will also receive prompt notification of the final decision.
The employees of ESR always strive for open, attentive, and transparent communication and a culture of learning from mistakes.