As a recent MBA graduate, I joined VillageReach for the summer tasked with evaluating our models and frameworks to further reach scalability and create sustainable business opportunities.Throughout business school, I was taught the importance of proving that financial profitability and measurable metrics are essential for making business decisions. Shouldn’t this common standard be used to measure socially-focused investing as well?Our philosophy at VillageReach is that there is a place for social investing in which we can create profitable businesses that have the potential to achieve both a financial and social return. We have proven a case in which the combination of non-profit dollars and entrepreneurism can build a sustainable business. Whileventure capitalists seek to create financial returns by investing in new technologies, VillageReach aims to improve established energy and logistics platforms to build base-of-the-pyramid businesses. However, unlike the VC world, there is no standard metric to calculate and measure the value of a social enterprise.Instead, the development community of entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and foundations has the challenge to develop a standard methodology. We’re excited to see the momentum and collective steps that organizations and individuals are collectively taking, especially as the Acumen Fund declared yesterday the WMD (World Metrics Day)!
At VillageReach, we are evaluating different methodologies to formulate our approach to quantify and present the value of a social investment. We are considering two methods: a BACO Calculation (for best available charitable option – created by the Acumen Fund) and an SROI calculation. The BACO model enables us to perform a cost-effective analysis on philanthropic dollars by comparing two options: a charity donation vs. an investment in a business. This analysis provides us with decision-making data to assess and determine the return the greatest social impact at lowest cost. The SROI (“social return on investment”) methodology has been in development for many years, and calculated using a discounted cash flow analysis + projected socio-economic contributions (direct, demonstrable cost savings and revenue contribution that are associated with the social purpose enterprise) into a projected blended business performance. There are distinct challenges with both of these approaches as it is difficult to often find a “comparable” charity donation and quantify the context of social outcomes. However, we strive to build quantifiable metrics that will help continuously evaluate our investments and allow us to communicate our impact to an external audience. Let us know what steps you are taking or thoughts about this process as this is clearly a shared effort.