Impact Measurement

Impact Measurement

Table of Contents

• The New Guide to Social Accounting and Audit: 2011
• Recent approaches to measuring social impact in the Third sector: An overview
• Assessing the Economic and Social Impacts of Social Enterprise
• Digital Inclusion Initiative Action Pack - "Accessing the economic benefits of digital inclusion"
• Tools for You: Approaches to Proving and Improving for Charities, Voluntary Organisations and Social Enterprise
• Why Measuring and Communicating Social Value Can Help Social Enterprise Become More Competitive

The New Guide to Social Accounting and Audit: 2011

Social accounting and audit is a logical and flexible famework that will enable your organisation to build on existing documentation and reporting systems and develop a process whereby you can;

• account fully for your organisation's social, environmental and economic performance and impact.
• report on that performance and impact
• provide the information essential for planning future action and improving performance and
• be accountable to all those you work with and work for

The New Guide is based on the Social Accounting and Audit Manual (and CD) published in 2005 by the Social Audit Network UK.

To order your copy of the guide, including the CD, please
email: info@socialauditnetwork.org.uk or phone: +44 1902 877565

Recent approaches to measuring social impact in the Third sector: An overview

A Centre for Social Impact (CSI) background paper written by Gianni Zappala and Mark Lyons - discusses the benefits and challenges of measuring social impact, and some of the different frameworks and methods available. Provides a brief outline of the key features and characteristics of three approaches that are gaining traction in Australian discussion and practice around social impact measurement.

Recent approaches to measuring social impact in the Third sector

Digital Inclusion Initiative Action Pack - An Opportunity to connect the right people with a great project 

A joint study by Infoxchange Australia and A.T.Kearney containing a White paper on the impacts of the DII project in two disadvantaged Melbourne communities - "Accessing the economic benefits of digital inclusion".  

Digital Inclusion Initiative Action Pack  

Why Measuring and Communicating Social Value Can Help Social Enterprise Become More Competitive

By Jeremy Nicholls. Commissioned by the UK’s Office of the Third Sector, this ‘think piece’ discusses the importance of measuring and conveying social impacts of social enterprise.

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/third_sector/assets/measuring_communicating_social_value.pdf

Tools for You: Approaches to Proving and Improving for Charities, Voluntary Organisations and Social Enterprise

This toolkit provides organisations with essential information about more than twenty tools and methods that can assist in proving and improving your organisation’s quality and impact.

http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/pmaqoibscyla5nyi3ismhy4502062009111905.pdf 

A chart mapping the cost (fee or free), time and labour-intensity of the tools is a helpful starting point before digging into the full report. The tools are mapped according to their primary purpose, including: Holistic Accounting and Reporting Tools; Measuring Impact(s) and Performance; Quality Systems; and Business Strategy.

http://www.proveandimprove.org/new/tools/documents/pdf_04_chart_2pp.pdf

Assessing the Economic and Social Impacts of Social Enterprise

By Trevor Hart and Graham Haughton. This report by the University of Hull reviews the main options for developing ways to measure the economic and social impact of social enterprises. The report argues for two studies – one on ‘impacts’ and another on the ‘value added’.

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/third_sector/assets/assessing_impact_se_full.pdf

A summary report is also available at
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/cabinetoffice/third_sector/assets/assessing_impact_se_summary.pdf