Learn how to define, measure, involve, learn, and communicate the impact of your social enterprise partnerships on your social and environmental goals.

One of the main challenges in continuous learning is that impact data is multidimensional. It's essential to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Sources may include pre and post-surveys, stakeholder interviews, or revenue/sales data. To learn continuously, all qualitative and quantitative data need to come together, clean, scored and analyzed. So, 1. Collaborate with your partners to get consistent data for your metrics 2. Bring all your impact data from different sources together for learning 2. Invest in the data-driven impact team 3. Select an agile data platform that grows with you 5. Impact learning is an iterative process. Make a habit of looking at data to make informed decisions

Last updated on Nov 5, 2024

How do you evaluate the impact of your partnerships on social and environmental goals?

As a social enterprise, you have a dual mission: to create positive social and environmental change and to generate financial sustainability. To achieve this, you may need to partner with other organizations, such as nonprofits, businesses, governments, or communities, that share your vision and values. But how do you know if your partnerships are actually helping advance your goals and deliver your impact? In this article, we will explore some ways to evaluate the impact of your partnerships on your social and environmental goals.

1 Define your partnership objectives

Before you start any partnership, develop a clear idea of what you want to achieve from it. What are the specific outcomes and indicators that you and your partner agree on? How do they align with your overall mission and theory of change? How will you measure and report on your progress and results? Having a shared understanding of your partnership objectives will help you communicate effectively, avoid misunderstandings, and set realistic expectations.

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2 Choose appropriate methods and tools

Depending on the nature and scope of your partnership, you may need different methods and tools to evaluate its impact. For example, you may use surveys, interviews, focus groups, case studies, or stories to collect qualitative data from your stakeholders. You may also use quantitative data, such as sales, revenue, costs, or carbon footprint, to measure your financial and environmental performance. Consider using frameworks or standards, such as the Social Return on Investment (SROI) or the B Impact Assessment, to compare and communicate your impact across different dimensions.

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Rhiannon-Jane Raftery FRSA ,MIPM

Portfolio career around place based climate solutions, societal change and community engagement
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Suggest taking an Asset based community development approach & using community asset mapping to identify key stakeholders who should be part of your partnership

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3 Involve your partners and stakeholders

Evaluating the impact of your partnerships is not a one-way process. Involve your partners and stakeholders in every stage of the evaluation, from designing the questions, to collecting and analyzing the data, to sharing and learning from the findings. This will help you build trust, accountability, and collaboration among your partners and stakeholders. It will also help you gain insights, feedback, and recommendations from different perspectives and experiences.

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4 Learn and improve continuously

The ultimate goal of evaluating the impact of your partnerships is to learn and improve your practices and strategies. You should not see evaluation as a one-time event, but as an ongoing cycle of reflection and action. Use the findings to identify what works and doesn't, existing challenges and opportunities, and necessary changes or innovations. Share your learnings and best practices with your partners and stakeholders, and seek their input and support for your improvement plans.

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Hetal Sheth

Meaningful change needs continuous learning from data.
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One of the main challenges in continuous learning is that impact data is multidimensional. It's essential to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Sources may include pre and post-surveys, stakeholder interviews, or revenue/sales data. To learn continuously, all qualitative and quantitative data need to come together, clean, scored and analyzed. So, 1. Collaborate with your partners to get consistent data for your metrics 2. Bring all your impact data from different sources together for learning 2. Invest in the data-driven impact team 3. Select an agile data platform that grows with you 5. Impact learning is an iterative process. Make a habit of looking at data to make informed decisions

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5 Celebrate and communicate your impact

Finally, celebrate and communicate your impact with your partners and stakeholders. Acknowledge and appreciate the contributions and achievements of everyone involved in your partnership. Communicate your impact stories and results with your wider audience, such as your customers, donors, investors, or media. This will help you demonstrate your credibility, transparency, and value as a social enterprise. It will also help you inspire and attract more partners and stakeholders who share your vision and values.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Anushka Jain

Building "Share At Door Step" | YS Tech 50 | AI for Climate-tech | Helping Brands Succeed with "Take Back Program" | Public Speaker
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Evaluating the impact of our partnerships on social and environmental goals goes beyond numbers—it’s about the real change we see in people and practices. Being part of the OnePointFive sustainability cohort taught me that while there are sophisticated tools to track metrics, sometimes the most powerful insights come from simple surveys. These can reveal shifts in mindset among employees and customers, giving us a clear picture of how people feel about sustainability. Often, these perspective changes drive lasting impact, inspiring everyone involved to prioritize sustainable actions and values in their daily lives.

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How do you evaluate the impact of your partnerships on social and environmental goals?

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1 Define your partnership objectives

2 Choose appropriate methods and tools

3 Involve your partners and stakeholders

4 Learn and improve continuously

5 Celebrate and communicate your impact

6 Here’s what else to consider

Social Enterprise

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