Social Return on Investment

Social Return on Investment is a measure of the social, environmental and economic value that is being created by an organisation or activity.

In simple terms, it shows how cost-effective something is. But, it also takes into account wider benefits, including things that happen further into the future and outside of the activity whose value is being measured.

Here are some key resources which might help if you’re interested in using SROI.

• New Economics Foundation (NEF) has a range of information and resources on SROI, inlcuding ‘A guide to Social Return on Investment.’

• This free Social Impact Calculator provided by Doughnut Economics Action Lab, might be useful.

• Another NEF guide which may be useful, depsite it being from 2008, is Measuring Value: a guide to Social Return on Investment (SROI)

• The Improvement Service has a section on its website on SROI.

• Social Value Lab are an independent consultancy who work with organisations, including voluntary and community organisations, around measuring impact.