Sustainable finance
Social Performance
Definition
Social performance is the effective translation of an organisation's social mission into practice: the outcomes achieved for clients, workers and communities, and the systems used to manage them. The concept is most developed in microfinance and inclusive finance, where social performance management covers client protection, product suitability, poverty outreach measurement and staff treatment, with standards coordinated by the Social Performance Task Force and tools such as the SPI audit and the Client Protection Principles.
References
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This reference provides supporting context for how “Social Performance” is defined and used.
Overview
How it is used
The framework structures microfinance rating and reporting, investor screening of inclusive finance funds, and the social dimension of ESG management systems more broadly.
Why it matters
Social performance is the antidote to assuming good intentions equal good outcomes — the management discipline of the social mission.