This policy applies to World of Books Ltd, and any affiliated companies in the World of Books group.

1. Introduction
   1. World of Books is committed to using its business as a force for good in the world and we take our social and environmental responsibilities seriously. Our customers and other stakeholders are a vital part of our business, being one of the many driving forces for doing what we do and how we do it. We aim to bring affordable access to literature to all.
   2. We recognise that the service our Centre of Excellence team provides can make a real difference to our stakeholders’ experience. We are therefore committed to following the below outlined policy.
2. Enquiries & Contact
   1. Wob’s Centre of Excellence aims to deal with all enquiries accurately, promptly, and efficiently.
      1. Customer Service Hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 – 20:00 (BST/UK Time)
3. Wob.com: 
   1. Contact can be made through the ‘Help Centre’ and our live chat bot ‘Sherlock’ which can help guide customers and all stakeholders through any query (including sending messages directly to the team, who will reply within 24 hours).
   2. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter: Customers, and all stakeholders, can contact Wob direct through our social media channels, making communications more accessible.
   3. Marketplace purchases: Customers can contact Wob via the ‘Contact Seller’ option on the relevant marketplace that the item was ordered from.
   4. All queries are to be answered within 48 hours. If queries are not resolved in the first interaction, the same timeline applies to further communications.
4. Satisfied Customers
   1. If any customers are not completely satisfied with the service provided, Wob welcomes communications from anyone in order to resolve any issues.
   2. It is vital that Wob stakeholders get the best service possible; however, we understand that we may not always get things right. If this happens, we will ensure a member of the Centre of Excellence gives the complaint the attention it deserves, and find a resolution in a timely manner.
5. Complaints
   1. The Centre of Excellence aims to provide a first response to all complaints within 3 business days. All complaints are to be taken very seriously, with the appropriate sense of urgency and attention.
   2. No complaint or query will be prioritised above another for any social or ethical reasoning, and only brought forward if the case is believed to be of an urgent nature, and investigated by management.

Formal Stakeholder Grievance Procedure

World of Books is committed to providing a fair, transparent, and accessible grievance procedure for all stakeholders. This procedure applies to customers, suppliers, employees, community members, and any other stakeholders who interact with World of Books.

1. Grounds for Accepting a Grievance
   1. A grievance may be raised by any stakeholder who believes they have been adversely affected by the actions, decisions, or conduct of World of Books or its representatives. Grounds for accepting a grievance include, but are not limited to:
   2. Dissatisfaction with the quality or standard of products or services provided
   3. Failure to comply with this policy or other published World of Books policies
   4. Concerns relating to ethical, social, or environmental conduct by World of Books
   5. Alleged breaches of contractual obligations
   6. Discrimination, harassment, or unfair treatment by World of Books staff
   7. Concerns relating to environmental or social harm caused by World of Books operations
   8. World of Books reserves the right to decline to accept a submission as a formal grievance where it falls outside these grounds or where insufficient information has been provided. In all such cases, the submitting stakeholder will be informed in writing of the reason(s) why their submission has not been accepted as a grievance.

Grievance Process Steps and Targeted Deadlines

Step 1: The stakeholder submits their grievance in writing via the relevant contact channel (see Enquiries & Contact section above). The grievance should describe the issue clearly, including relevant dates, parties involved, and any supporting evidence.

Step 2: World of Books will acknowledge receipt of the grievance in writing within 3 business days of receipt. The acknowledgement will confirm the grievance has been received and provide the name or reference of the person responsible for managing the case.

Step 3: The assigned case manager will assess whether the matter qualifies as a formal grievance under these grounds. The stakeholder will be notified in writing of the outcome of this assessment within 5 business days of acknowledgement. If the grievance is not accepted, a clear explanation of the reason will be provided.

Step 4: Where a grievance is accepted, World of Books will investigate the matter fully. The stakeholder will be regularly updated throughout this process, at minimum every 5 business days, on the progress and any interim steps being taken.

Step 5: A proposed resolution will be communicated to the stakeholder in writing. This will set out the outcome of the investigation, any actions to be taken, and a timeline for implementation.

Step 6: Once resolution is agreed or implemented, World of Books will confirm the grievance is formally closed in writing and invite feedback from the stakeholder on the process.

Where a grievance is complex or requires third-party input, timelines may be extended. In such cases, the stakeholder will be notified of the revised timeline and the reasons for the extension without delay.

How Resolution Is Facilitated

World of Books is committed to facilitating fair and proportionate resolutions. Depending on the nature of the grievance, resolution may be facilitated through:

• Direct dialogue between the stakeholder and an appropriate representative of World of Books
• An internal review by a senior or independent member of the team not involved in the original matter
• Agreement of a practical remedy, such as a refund, replacement, apology, or policy change
• Referral to an appropriate external body or independent mediator, where necessary and agreed upon by both parties

At every stage, World of Books will communicate clearly and promptly with the stakeholder, confirming each step taken and its outcome, and ultimately confirming when the grievance has been resolved.

Protection from Retaliation

World of Books is committed to ensuring that all stakeholders who raise grievances are protected from any form of retaliation, victimisation, or detriment as a result of raising a concern. This includes:

• No adverse action will be taken against a stakeholder for raising a grievance in good faith
• All grievances will be treated confidentially to the extent permitted by law and operational requirements
• Staff involved in handling grievances are required to maintain confidentiality and act impartially throughout the process
• Any member of staff found to have retaliated against a stakeholder raising a grievance will be subject to disciplinary action

Stakeholders who believe they have been subject to retaliation as a result of raising a grievance should report this immediately to management or via the contact channels outlined in this policy.

Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

World of Books is committed to ensuring that the decision-making process in all grievance cases is free from conflicts of interest. To achieve this:

• The case manager assigned to a grievance must not have been directly involved in the events giving rise to the grievance
• Where a conflict of interest is identified, the case will be reassigned to an alternative case manager or escalated to senior management
• Any perceived conflicts of interest must be declared by the relevant individual at the earliest opportunity
• Senior management oversight is applied to all grievance decisions to ensure impartiality and consistency
• Where a grievance concerns a senior member of management, the matter will be referred to the Board or an independent third party to ensure an unbiased outcome

Terms

Enquiry: all requests for information about our products, questions regarding purchases both pre order and post order and investigations required.

Complaint: a customer’s written expression of dissatisfaction about the provision of our service which requires escalation to a senior member of the team.

Grievance: a formal concern raised by any stakeholder – including customers, suppliers, employees, or community members – that relates to the actions, decisions, or conduct of World of Books or its representatives, and which requires investigation and resolution under this policy.

Stakeholder: any individual or group who is affected by or has an interest in the activities of World of Books, including but not limited to customers, employees, suppliers, investors, regulators, and local communities.

Review: This policy will be reviewed every 3 years unless a significant change occurs within the business’s operations in which case it will be reviewed at an earlier date.

Last updated: June 2026

Next review: June 2029