Social Impact Investing

SOCIAL IMPACT INVESTMENT: BUILDING THE EVIDENCE BASE
FOREWORD
New and innovative approaches are needed for addressing social and economic challenges. Social
impact investment has become increasingly relevant in today’s economic setting as social challenges have
mounted while public funds in many countries are under pressure. This report provides a framework for
assessing the social impact investment market and focuses on the need to build the evidence base. The
report highlights the importance of further international collaborations in developing global standards on
definitions, data collection, impact measurement and evaluation of policies. In a fast evolving new area,
experience sharing between players in the market is also vital. International organisations, such as the
OECD can play an important role in facilitating these collaborations as well as conducting further analysis
and data collection.
The project has been managed by Karen Wilson, consultant in the Structural Policy Division of the
Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation at the OECD. The report was written by Karen
Wilson, Filipe Silva, Junior Policy Analyst in the Structural Policy Division of the Directorate for Science,
Technology and Innovation and Dominic Richardson, Policy Analyst, Directorate for Employment, Labour
and Social Affairs.
Social impact investment has become a growing area of interest within the OECD, linking to two
strategic OECD initiatives, New Approaches to Economic Challenges (NAEC) and Inclusive Growth as
well as ongoing work across a number of Directorates.
The OECD Committee for Industry, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) agreed to the
declassification of this report in January 2015.
© OECD 2015 3