About GSVC

Social Impact Assessment

Social Impact Assessment is a framework for catalyzing transformational change by empowering entrants to re-think how their business model can address root causes of systemic social problems. The output of the Social Impact Assessment process, the Social Return on Investment (SROI), should be viewed not as a discrete metric to be compared like financial returns, but as part of a larger picture on how to report and improve social value creation.

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Note that to fulfill the baseline entry requirements of the 2009-2010 GSVC, all entrant business plans are required to include a social impact assessment section.  Detailed requirements and judging criteria for the Social Impact Assessment section can be accessed as a PDF file in the Resources section at the top of this page.

This section can be as detailed as entrants wish, but will be judged according to the following criteria:

1. Clear statement of your social value proposition and the top three indicators of social impact assessment.

2. Understandable, consistent use of SROI and other frameworks to monetize social return on investment for this venture.

3. Innovative, holistic and pragmatic approach to addressing systemic social problems.

There are three main components to the Social Impact Assessment section.

DEFINE: A definition of the social value proposition that is core to their venture’s desired social outcomes. Entrants must articulate the relationships between actions and intended results (cause and effect) using the Theory of Change and Social Impact Value Chain tools.

QUANTIFY: Quantification of social value by listing top three leading social indicators. Entrants must articulate the three most important measurable social indicators that they believe will most strongly correlate with their desired social outcomes and that can be tracked as part of their normal business operations.

MONETIZE: Explain social value in monetary terms. Entrants must monetize the value of the social impact their venture aims to create over the next 10 years, using tools like SROI analysis (Social Return on Investment).

SIA Resources