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Turning Impact Intention into Impact Evidence: How to Put the GIIN’s IRIS+ Metrics into Action
Accounting for impact is notoriously difficult. And though impact investors have long turned to the GIIN's IRIS metrics as a standardized measurement tool, as SoPact co-founder Hetal Sheth points out, the IRIS metrics don't make impact strategy actionable. Now that the GIIN has reintroduced its standards with IRIS+, Sheth explores how the new metrics improve on the previous version – and how SoPact’s Impact Cloud platform can help investors use them to build a robust impact management strategy.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
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The Challenges of Going Local: A Medical Device Innovator Faces the Reality of Manufacturing in Rural Africa
Like many enterprises working in emerging markets, Noor Medical wanted to manufacture its product locally. As COO Andrew Bonneau explains, a local approach promised many advantages, from lower costs to a better understanding of its customers. But the company soon learned that manufacturing in developing countries like Uganda is often easier said than done. Bonneau discusses the obstacles the company has faced, and how they've overcome them.
- Categories
- Health Care, Social Enterprise, Technology
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Scaling a Social Enterprise: How to Get Ready for Take-Off (And Landing)
When it comes to scaling a social enterprise, many believe that "big is beautiful" – and that growing fast is inherently better than going slowly. After all, what entrepreneur wants to delay putting their world-changing innovations into practice? But as Christina Moehrle at Roots of Impact sees it, social entrepreneurs should think twice about their need for speed. She offers three essential tips for aspiring changemakers, based on learnings from their "Scalerator" scaling support program.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise
- Tags
- incubators, scale
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Three Ways Technological Disruption is Fighting Inequality in Asia – And One Challenge it Hasn’t Yet Overcome
A wave of economic development is transforming Asia. But along with its many benefits, this growth is straining the region’s natural resources and leaving many poor communities behind. However, Sangeetha Watson at AVPN highlights some good news: Sustainable, tech-based solutions can help address these inequalities, particularly in financial inclusion, health care delivery and gender equity. She explores technology's impact on these areas – and flags one problem that tech has largely failed to address.
- Categories
- Social Enterprise, Technology
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Unlocking the Power of Informal Retailers: Mobile Solutions for Commercial and Social Impact in Emerging Markets
More than 61% of the world’s workers earn their living in the informal sector – and 93% of those are in emerging markets. This can lead to unique challenges for both informal retailers and their customers - and for the companies whose products these retailers sell. Analysts at Every1Mobile explore these challenges, and share how their organization and its partners are utilizing mobile-based platforms to help modernize informal trade and unlock economic welfare for low- and middle-income populations.
- Categories
- Technology
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Funding Beyond the Straight and Narrow: Overcoming Obstacles to Fund a New Breed of Entrepreneurs
A new breed of social innovators is exploring innovative business models and unconventional approaches in India. But since their models are not traditional or proven, most funders are unwilling to bet on them. Anshu Bhartia, CEO of UnLtd India, has a few suggestions for how these entrepreneurs can compete in a funding market that is "traditional, restrictive and governed by rules that serve the conformists." As the leader of an incubator working with Indian entrepreneurs confronting pressing social issues, Bhartia shares her vision of the road ahead.
- Categories
- Investing, Social Enterprise
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Small Change: Why Behavioral Science Needs to Go Beyond ‘Nudges’ to Make a Real Impact
Behavioral science – the practice of leveraging human tendencies to produce desired outcomes – has become popular in the social sector. In particular, "nudges" – small changes that subtly encourage better behaviors – are often seen as a solution for everything from weight loss to financial health. But Mariel Beasley, co-founder of the behavioral science group Common Cents Lab, shares an uncomfortable truth: Small tweaks usually mean marginal changes, and half-measures like nudges are leaving most of the potential of behavioral science untapped.
- Categories
- Finance
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Big Data, Big Opportunity: Is Data Science the Key to Universal Energy Access?
Rural dwellers at the base of the pyramid are living largely "data-less," un-digitalized lives – but that's changing quickly with the spread of pay-as-you-go energy and the financial access it enables. In spite of the dangers of wrongly screening out customers as potential credit risks, denying them both further electrification prospects and access to credit, Guilhem Dupuy of GAIA Impact Fund and Thibault Lesueur of Solaris Offgrid take an optimistic view. They discuss why new off-grid energy data is an opportunity for increased investment, industry growth and economic justice.
- Categories
- Energy, Technology
