SOCIAL IMPACT MEASUREMENT

The research project “Social Impact Measurement” is carried out at Eötvös Loránd University.

IDENTIFYING THE SOCIAL PROBLEM

The 2008 economic crisis, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighted the critical importance of developing and supporting social innovations on a global scale. Simultaneously, the need for measuring the social impact of various initiatives has also intensified. Social impact measurement helps organizations understand and demonstrate the added value of their activities in relation to the social goals they aim to achieve, while also supporting investment decisions in this sector.

Although the methodology for social impact measurement has undergone continuous development in recent decades, there is still no clear professional consensus regarding its practice. The existing recommendations pose significant challenges, particularly for actors in the social economy.

In our research, we provide a comprehensive overview of international social impact measurement frameworks and their practical applicability, while also exploring the current maturity level of social impact measurement in Hungary. In addition to analyzing the relevant literature, we conduct interviews across the entire spectrum of the field, including social impact measurement experts, market participants, and social innovation projects implementing their own impact measurements.

THE EXPECTED SOCIAL/ECONOMIC/ENVINRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF THE RESEARCH

TINLAB’s mission is to “support social innovators and social innovation activities“, a goal that this Social Impact Measurement research directly contributes to. The aim of the research is to develop a practical impact measurement framework that aligns with international guidelines, while also considering the specific conditions of the domestic sector. The experimental developments operating within the framework of TINLAB will already be involved in testing the framework during the research phase, but our goal is for the research’s outcomes to be widely accessible and useful both in the Hungarian and international social innovation sectors after the project’s conclusion.

CONTACT

Anita KADERJÁK, Social Impact Measurement Expert (ELTE Crnter for Innovation)
kaderjak.anita@innovacio.elte.hu