This research was published more than 5 years ago, some information may be out of date.
COMPASS: The Methodology for Comparing and Assessing Impact builds on the GIIN’s ongoing efforts to help impact investors integrate impact into decisions across their investment processes. COMPASS presents for the first time, a tested, widely accepted methodology to assess and, most critically, compare impact results. Since impact is inherently multi-dimensional and complex, this methodology is designed to offer investors insight into three critical impact performance figures: scale, pace, and efficiency. This research effort seeks to standardize the components for and process of impact performance analysis, describing each step of the analytic process the GIIN has developed that can be used for aggregate investment-, fund-, or portfolio-level analyses.
In November 2020, the GIIN released a first of its kind analytic methodology for understanding and comparing impact performance. This paper underwent a public comment period, which garnered feedback from 367 individuals representing over 150 organizations on the methodology, which can be found here. Many of these participants are GIIN Members, the current list of whom can be viewed here. COMPASS incorporates this feedback into this revised version of the methodology.
In all, this effort aims to accelerate progress toward impact benchmarks, ratings, and other tools for analyzing and managing performance that are needed to further develop the impact investing industry and fill the existing market infrastructure gap. Continue learning about other GIIN initiatives here.
Learn more and download COMPASS guides for Investors and for Data Analytics Service Providers:
