How do you measure and communicate the social impact of your FEED deliverables and recommendations?

1 Why social impact matters

Social impact is the positive or negative change that your project creates or contributes to in the social, cultural, and human aspects of the context where you operate. It can affect the well-being, rights, values, and relationships of the people and groups involved or influenced by your project. Social impact matters because it can enhance or undermine the sustainability, acceptance, and legitimacy of your project. It can also create opportunities or challenges for your project's performance, reputation, and compliance.

2 How to define social impact outcomes and indicators

Measuring and communicating the social impact of your FEED deliverables and recommendations begins with defining the outcomes and indicators you want to track and report. Outcomes represent the changes that result from your project, while indicators are the measurable data that show progress or achievement of the outcomes. To define these, you need to identify your project's objectives, scope, and stakeholders; conduct a stakeholder analysis and engagement to understand their needs, expectations, and concerns; analyze the potential positive and negative impacts of your project on the social aspects of the context; prioritize the most significant and relevant impacts for your project and stakeholders; and formulate SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) outcomes and indicators that reflect the desired or actual impact of your project.

3 How to collect and analyze social impact data

To measure and communicate the social impact of your FEED deliverables and recommendations, the next step is to collect and analyze the corresponding data. You must choose the right methods and sources of data collection, such as surveys or interviews, and define an appropriate sample size, frequency, and timing of data collection. Additionally, ethical and quality standards must be applied to your data collection such as informed consent or accuracy. To analyze your data, use suitable tools and techniques such as descriptive statistics or thematic analysis. Lastly, interpret and synthesize your findings to highlight the key insights that show the social impact of your project.

4 How to communicate and report social impact

The final step to measure and communicate the social impact of your FEED deliverables and recommendations is to communicate and report your findings to stakeholders and the public. When doing so, you should decide on the purpose, audience, and format of your communication and reporting. Additionally, you should use clear, concise, and compelling language and visuals to convey your message. Be sure to include relevant information and evidence that supports your claims, such as outcomes, indicators, data, analysis, and conclusions. It is also important to provide context and background for your project and its social impact. Lastly, you must address any limitations, challenges, or uncertainties of your social impact measurement and reporting.

5 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?