Background

The Social Performance Task Force consists of over 650 leaders from all over the world from every microfinance stakeholder group: practitioners, donors and investors (multilateral, bilateral, and private), national and regional networks, technical assistance providers, rating agencies, academics and researchers, and others. Created in March 2005, the Task Force has been charged with clearly defining social performance and addressing questions about measuring and managing social performance. Read the common statement of principles. 

In March 2005, CGAP, the Argidius Foundation, and the Ford Foundation brought together leaders from various social performance initiatives in the microfinance industry to come to agreement on a common social performance framework and to develop an action plan to move social performance forward. Two working groups were formed as a result of this meeting: a Social Performance Task Force (“SP Task Force”) and a CGAP Donor Working Group on Social Performance. 

The SP Task Force is working to better communicate with the industry what is meant by social performance and address the diverse range of questions relating to social performance measurement and management. 

Common Action Plan 

The SP Task Force developed a common action plan that takes advantage of the synergies between the different groups who are carrying out social performance initiatives–primarily the Imp-Act Consortium, the CERISE group, the Client Protection Principles work of the Center for Financial Inclusion and CGAP, and the Social Performance Working Group of the SEEP Network. The members of the SP Task Force are collaborating to increase learning, disseminate findings, build industry-wide support, and create a common calendar around social performance activities. 

For more information on the task force and/or to join, please contact Laura Foose at lfoose@alternative-credit.com.