Managing Social Performance

Publication Date: 23 Nov 2004
Published by: Small Enterprise Education and Promotion (SEEP) Network
Document Type: Presentation

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Social performance measure makes good business sense as well

This is a presentation, about the need for assessing and managing social performance, was made at the SEEP Annual General Meeting on October 26, 2004. It presents a social performance framework and approaches, with intention to generate interest and stimulate debate on the same among the participants.

The presentation discusses:

• Social goals, their importance and methods to assess social performance: Impact assessment, market research, client assessment, poverty assessment and social auditing,
• The three levels of social performance: Intention and design, outputs at the microfinance institution (MFI) level and impact at the client level,
• The different tools available to assess the social performance.

The presentation also includes:

• Examples of some of the MFIs that practice social performance system and the consequent benefits that they derive,
• An example comparing costs with the resulting returns that outweigh the costs on investment towards social performance measurement.

The presentation concludes that a simple, well-designed social performance system makes good business sense as it helps the MFIs in achieving greater transparency and accountability, leading to effective decision-making.