What role does the ombud play in society? If you complain to an organisation and they don't sort things out, the ombud is the person/people at the top of the complaints ladder that you can turn to for help when all else has failed. They are important because they are independent from the organisations they investigate, meaning that they should be able to analyse cases fairly and justly, and without protecting or give advantage to either side. They represent the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints of maladministration or a violation of rights.
There are specific ombuds for specific industries, and they won't just investigate anything the public disagrees with - they have rules that set the framework for what they can and cannot do; for what they can and cannot investigate and what powers they have after an investigation. Most ombudsmen have been set up by law, but others have been set up voluntarily by the sector that they investigate. They are involved in solving an issue, usually through recommendations - which can be binding or not - or mediation.