Social reporting in microfinance: where are we

1
Social reporting in microfinance where are we?

• Social rating and reporting sub-committee
• - M-CRIL, Planet Finance, Microfinanza,
  Accion
• - AMAP, Cerise, Imp-Act, Integra,SIDI

For the Social Performance Task Force, Rome,
April 2006
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We value what we measure
Background

• The double (if not triple) bottom line of
  microfinance
• Financial performance measured and valued
• have to report
• Social performance for years understood in
  terms of
• impact assessment therefore complex, costly
  
• generalistic findings and data often
  disputed (!)
• Tendency to make optimistic assumptions about
• microfinance serving the poor/very poor,
  
• contributing to the MDGs, to economic growth

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The pathway
Key dimensions
SG1
SPM
Reaching target clients
C H A N G E
Systems Service design and
delivery
Goals
Mission
Objectives
Meeting client needs In line with
their capacities
SG3
SR1-3
SG2
Alignment with social responsibilities values
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Social reporting

• A substantive, coherent framework is emerging
  universally applicable and adaptable
• And a long list of indicators within this
  framework
• Next step to select certain key indicators for
  social reporting by MFIs to external
  stakeholders, including to the Mix and to
  document in MFI Annual Reports.
• If possible and practical, avoid proxies, aim for
  valid client level information and practical ways
  of collecting and documenting