Inclusion's Social Enterprise Rating System (SERS) reviews the performance of a social enterprise in relation to its social mission, as well as its policies, procedures, and practices to assess the likelihood of generating a sustainable impact for its beneficiaries and community.
The SERS is based on a scorecard, which captures data and other relevant information provided by the organization in question to Inclusion analysts. It also incorporates beneficiaries and field staff interviews to assess levels of social impact resulting from the organization's activities.
The scorecard utilizes proprietary algorithms weighted by an analytical hierarchy process that considers objective and subjective multi-criteria to arrive at an implied Social Enterprise Rating (SER).
It is our belief that an enterprise that performs better and receives a higher SER will have a higher likelihood of positively affecting the lives of its beneficiaries in the future and be less likely to cause harm.
The factors we measure:
1 - Mission Fulfillment
2 - Beneficiary Perspective
3 - Wider Impact
Download our Methodology
How we score our SER
A SER1 grade indicates that a SE’s infrastructure and processes are consistent with a high or very high likelihood of operating in the best interests of its beneficiaries, that this is among its highest priorities and that the risk of causing adverse effect to its beneficiaries and other stakeholders is low or very low. A SER1 grade is consistent with an organization that:
- has a highly coordinated and strategic operation in order to accomplish its social mission
- adheres to best practice across all the three key SER factors and most of the sub-factors
- demonstrates it has well-established and reliable information systems, internal controls and procedures relating to the information provided for the SER
- maintains high standards in terms of beneficiary protection practices.
A SER2 grade indicates that a SE’s infrastructure and processes are consistent with a medium likelihood of operating in the best interests of its beneficiaries, that this is among its highest priorities and that the risk of causing adverse effect to its beneficiaries and other stakeholders is moderate. A SER2 rating is consistent with an organization that:
- coordinates, or attempts to coordinate, strategic operations to accomplish its social mission
- adheres to best practice on most or almost all the key SER factors
- demonstrates that it has at least acceptable information systems, internal controls and procedures relating to the information provided for the SER
- maintains reasonable to good standards in terms of beneficiary protection practices.
A SER3 grade indicates that an organization’s infrastructure and processes are consistent with some or little likelihood of operating in the best interests of its beneficiaries, that there is limited evidence this is amongst its highest priorities and that it attempts to manage the risk of causing adverse effect to its beneficiaries and other stakeholders are insufficient. A SER3 rating is consistent with an organization that:
- does not adhere to good practice on at least two of the three key SER factors
- demonstrates that it has weak or inadequate information systems, internal controls and procedures relating to the information provided for the SER
- maintains some or no standards in terms of beneficiary protection practices.
