How does the impact investment field establish evidence about its contributions to positive social and environmental impacts?
This timely discussion paper, co-authored by Jane Reisman and The Rockefeller Foundation’s Veronica Olazabal presents a variety of approaches for measuring and evaluating impact investments. As private investment in innovative solutions to social and environmental challenges reaches unprecedented levels, the need for robust social impact measurement is more important than ever.
Situating the Next Generation of Impact Measurement and Evaluation for Impact Investing contends that measurement practices need to evolve by borrowing from the strengths of both private business and social sector evaluation. Suggesting that an impact thesis is a crucial anchor for impact measurement strategies, the paper offers several measurement approaches in use today. The ‘next generation’ of impact measurement and evaluation must stem from a commitment of impact investors to strengthen evidence for their social returns alongside the evidence for financial returns.