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June 2013 ... GIIN Launches IRIS Data Briefs

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

GIIN Launches IRIS Data Briefs

Global Impact Investing Network
Wed, Jun 5, 2013 at 8:00 AM
Reply-To: Global Impact Investing Network
To: Peter

GIIN Launches IRIS Data Briefs

Click here to read IRIS Data Brief: Focus on Employment

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) today released the first IRIS Data Brief, kicking off a regular series that presents aggregated social, environmental, and financial results of organizations receiving impact investment capital. This first Brief includes performance data from more than 4,000 mission-driven portfolio companies. In addition to data that show overall characteristics of the reporting organizations – including geographic diversity and a concentration in the financial services sector – this first Data Brief includes a focused set of analyses related to employment. Subsequent Data Briefs will include detailed analyses in various different thematic areas.

“We are excited to launch the IRIS Data Briefs, and hope that they further enforce the value of standardized social and environmental metrics for the impact investment field,” said Sarah Gelfand, IRIS Director at the GIIN. “More investors than ever before are aligning their measurement and reporting with IRIS, and in doing so they are enabling valuable market intelligence about the performance of companies receiving impact investment.”

This series builds on the GIIN’s previous analysis of IRIS performance data from firms receiving impact investment capital, most notably the 2011 publication Data Driven: A performance analysis for the Impact Investing Industry IRIS is the online catalog of generally accepted performance metrics that leading impact investors use to measure social, environmental, and financial performance. By bringing together well-established metrics from a range of sectors including microfinance, affordable housing, education, and others, IRIS makes it easier for investors to create informed performance measurement systems. Further, by providing a common language, IRIS enables investors to make performance comparisons and communicate results to others in the industry.

The IRIS metrics catalog is maintained and updated by the GIIN and is supported by advisors with impact measurement and sector specific expertise. Metrics are considered for inclusion in IRIS through a rigorous process that involves input and consultation from a broad and diverse group of stakeholders and incorporates user feedback submitted directly through the IRIS website. To view the IRIS metrics catalog please visit iris.thegiin.org.

About the Global Impact Investing Network: IRIS is an initiative of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing. Impact investments are investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate measure able social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Impact investments can be made in both emerging and developed markets, and target a range of returns from below market to market rate, depending upon the circumstances. The GIIN builds critical infrastructure and supports activities, education, and research that help accelerate the development of a coherent impact investing industry. For more information, please visit www.thegiin.org.

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Open the IRIS Report 2011 ... Data Driven - A performance analysis for the Impact Investing Industry