The best examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing

Real-world examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing

If you ask ten impact investors how they measure impact, you’ll usually get a messy mix of acronyms. But underneath the jargon, there are clear, repeatable approaches. Some of the best examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing fall into three broad camps: global goal frameworks, standardized metric systems, and investor-built house frameworks.

Global goal frameworks create a shared language across sectors. Standardized metric systems define what to measure and how. House frameworks translate both into a process that fits a specific portfolio. In practice, serious investors blend all three.

Let’s walk through concrete, real examples of how this looks in portfolios today.

Examples of SDG-based impact measurement in investing

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are not an investing framework by themselves, but they are one of the most common examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing in practice. Investors use the 17 SDGs and their 169 targets as a map to classify and report impact.

Institutional managers increasingly map their portfolios to SDG targets, then build indicator sets around them. For example, a climate-focused infrastructure fund might:

• Align with SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action)
• Track installed renewable energy capacity (MW), emissions avoided (tons CO₂e), and households served
• Report annually on progress toward SDG-related indicators

Development finance institutions (DFIs) have gone further. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, connects its impact measurement to SDGs through its Anticipated Impact Measurement and Monitoring (AIMM) system. AIMM scores the expected development impact of each investment, then monitors results over time, with SDG alignment as a key lens. You can see how the World Bank groups its SDG work and metrics at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/sdgs-2030

In public markets, SDG-aligned ETFs and mutual funds typically use third-party SDG mapping frameworks (like those from MSCI or Sustainalytics) to show what portion of revenues or capex supports specific SDGs. This isn’t perfect, but it’s become a recognizable example of impact measurement frameworks in investing that retail and institutional investors can both understand.

IRIS+ and GIIN: One of the best examples of standardized metrics

If you want a standardized metric language, IRIS+ from the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) is one of the best-known examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing. IRIS+ is essentially a catalog of agreed-upon impact metrics, plus guidance on how to use them by theme (climate, health, financial inclusion, etc.).

Investors use IRIS+ in a few practical ways:

• To build a core set of portfolio-wide indicators (for example, number of clients served, jobs created, emissions avoided)
• To design sector-specific dashboards, like patient visits and health outcomes for health funds, or learning outcomes for education funds
• To align underlying company reporting with industry norms, which makes cross-portfolio comparison possible

A microfinance fund manager might, for example, select IRIS+ metrics for:

• Number of active borrowers (PI4060)
• Percentage of female borrowers (PD1644)
• Average loan size as a percentage of per capita income (FP8293)

Then they aggregate those metrics across all portfolio companies and report trends year over year.

GIIN’s IRIS+ is documented here: https://iris.thegiin.org/

IRIS+ is often combined with SDG mapping: investors choose IRIS+ metrics that link to specific SDG targets, then report both the metric performance and the SDG alignment. This pairing has become one of the most common examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing used by institutional allocators.

IFC’s AIMM: A structured example of impact measurement at scale

The IFC’s Anticipated Impact Measurement and Monitoring (AIMM) framework is a good example of impact measurement frameworks in investing when you need a disciplined, pre-investment scoring and post-investment monitoring system.

AIMM does two things:

• Scores the expected development impact of each investment before approval
• Tracks whether that impact is actually happening over time

The system looks at:

• Project outcomes (for example, increased access to electricity, improved financial inclusion)
• Market-level effects (competition, demonstration effects, policy influence)
• Contribution of IFC (additionality, risk-taking, expertise)

Investments receive an impact rating, which affects capital allocation decisions. AIMM is not just a reporting tool; it’s baked into the investment process. That makes it one of the more rigorous examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing that goes beyond simple output counting.

IFC publishes methodological notes and examples of AIMM in action here: https://www.ifc.org

GIIRS and B Impact Assessment: Examples that tie impact to ratings

For private companies and funds, the Global Impact Investing Rating System (GIIRS) and the B Impact Assessment from B Lab are widely used examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing.

B Lab’s B Impact Assessment scores companies across five areas:

• Governance
• Workers
• Community
• Environment
• Customers

Companies answer detailed questions and provide documentation. The result is a numerical score and, for those that qualify, B Corp Certification. Investors use this in two ways:

• As a due diligence tool to screen and benchmark companies
• As an ongoing measurement and improvement framework, with targets for raising B scores over time

GIIRS extends this idea to funds, rating the impact management practices and portfolio composition of investment vehicles. For a multi-sector impact fund, GIIRS and the B Impact Assessment offer a structured example of impact measurement frameworks in investing that can be applied consistently across very different companies.

More on B Lab’s methodology is available at: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/measure-your-impact

Impact Management Platform and Impact Frontiers: Examples focused on process

Metrics are only part of the story. The Impact Management Platform (IMP) and the work of Impact Frontiers offer some of the best examples of process-oriented impact measurement frameworks in investing.

The IMP (an evolution of the Impact Management Project) organizes impact around five dimensions:

• What outcome is occurring
• Who is experiencing the outcome
• How much of the outcome is occurring
• Contribution (what change is attributable to the investment)
• Risk that impact does not occur as expected

Investors use these dimensions to structure investment memos, impact theses, and monitoring plans. For example, a housing fund might document:

• What: improved housing stability
• Who: low-income tenants in specific geographies
• How much: number of units, duration of tenancy, rent-to-income ratios
• Contribution: renovation of distressed properties, below-market rents
• Risk: gentrification, policy changes, tenant displacement

Impact Frontiers builds on this by helping investors integrate impact into portfolio construction and capital allocation. They use scoring systems, impact-adjusted return frameworks, and decision rules that put impact and financial performance in the same conversation. This has become a go-to example of impact measurement frameworks in investing for asset owners that want impact to influence how they size positions, not just what they put in marketing decks.

You can explore the Impact Management Platform’s guidance at: https://impactmanagementplatform.org

ESG reporting, SFDR, and the rise of regulatory impact frameworks

While ESG and impact are not identical, regulatory regimes are pushing investors toward more structured measurement. The EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), for example, requires asset managers to report on a set of Principal Adverse Impact (PAI) indicators, such as greenhouse gas emissions, gender pay gaps, and exposure to controversial weapons.

For impact investors operating in or selling into Europe, SFDR effectively becomes another example of impact measurement frameworks in investing because it dictates:

• Which metrics must be tracked and disclosed
• How those metrics are defined
• How products must be categorized (Article 6, 8, 9) based on sustainability characteristics

Similarly, in the U.S., while there is no direct equivalent to SFDR yet, the SEC’s climate disclosure rules and growing expectations around ESG reporting are nudging investors toward more consistent climate and social metrics. Large U.S. asset managers now routinely build internal impact or ESG frameworks that align with:

• SFDR (for EU products)
• TCFD/ISSB climate reporting standards
• SDGs and IRIS+ for thematic strategies

These blended approaches are increasingly common examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing, especially among global firms that need to satisfy multiple regulators and multiple client types.

Thematic and sector-specific examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing

Some of the most practical examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing are built around specific themes or sectors. Instead of trying to measure everything, these frameworks go deep on a narrow problem.

Climate and energy

Climate-focused investors often combine:

• GHG accounting standards (such as the GHG Protocol)
• Sector-specific emissions factors
• IRIS+ climate metrics (for example, greenhouse gas emissions avoided)
• SDG 7 and SDG 13 mapping

A renewable energy private equity fund might measure:

• Installed capacity (MW)
• Annual MWh generated
• Emissions avoided (tons CO₂e) vs. national grid baselines
• Number of households or businesses served

This becomes a coherent impact framework, even if it doesn’t have a fancy brand name.

Health and life sciences

Health investors often use outcome-focused frameworks that connect to public health research. A health impact fund might track:

• Number of patients reached
• Changes in disease incidence or management
• Adherence to treatment
• Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) or disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) where feasible

They may rely on research and metrics guidance from institutions like the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), which publishes extensive data on health outcomes and interventions: https://www.nih.gov

These are quieter but highly influential examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing, grounded in scientific evidence rather than marketing slogans.

Financial inclusion

Financial inclusion funds typically combine IRIS+ metrics with country-level financial access indicators from sources like the World Bank’s Global Findex database. A framework might include:

• Number of first-time account holders
• Share of women or rural clients
• Loan repayment rates
• Changes in savings behavior or resilience to shocks

The World Bank’s data and methodologies for financial inclusion are available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/financialinclusion

How leading investors design their own impact measurement frameworks

Most sophisticated investors don’t just adopt one off-the-shelf system. They build their own impact measurement frameworks by layering multiple examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing.

A typical institutional approach might look like this:

• Use SDGs and the Impact Management Platform as the conceptual backbone (what, who, how much, contribution, risk)
• Use IRIS+ and SFDR/PAI indicators as the metric library
• Use B Impact Assessment or GIIRS for deep dives on specific companies or funds
• Use internal scoring models (inspired by IFC’s AIMM or Impact Frontiers) to rate expected and actual impact

This layered approach allows investors to:

• Compare impact performance across very different sectors
• Integrate impact into investment committee decisions
• Report consistently to LPs, regulators, and public stakeholders

In 2024–2025, the trend is toward convergence rather than reinvention. Instead of inventing new frameworks, investors are aligning with these widely used examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing, then adding their own sector nuance and risk appetite on top.

FAQs about examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing

What are some widely used examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing?
Common examples include SDG-based mapping, IRIS+ metrics from the GIIN, IFC’s AIMM system, B Lab’s B Impact Assessment and GIIRS ratings, the Impact Management Platform’s five dimensions of impact, and regulatory frameworks like SFDR’s Principal Adverse Impact indicators.

Can you give an example of a simple impact measurement framework for a small fund?
A small fund might pick one or two SDGs as its focus, select 5–10 IRIS+ metrics tied to those goals, structure investment memos using the Impact Management Platform’s five dimensions, and report annually on those metrics plus a short narrative of outcomes and risks. That’s a lean but credible example of an impact measurement framework that LPs can understand.

How do investors choose between different examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing?
They usually look at strategy fit (climate, health, financial inclusion, etc.), regulatory requirements, data availability, and investor expectations. Many end up combining SDGs, IRIS+, and a process framework like IMP or AIMM, rather than choosing only one.

Are ESG frameworks the same as impact measurement frameworks?
Not exactly. ESG frameworks often focus on risk and company practices, while impact frameworks focus on real-world outcomes. But in practice, investors increasingly integrate them, using ESG data as inputs into broader impact measurement and management systems.

Where can I find more technical guidance or examples of impact measurement frameworks in investing?
Good starting points include GIIN’s IRIS+ site, the Impact Management Platform, B Lab’s B Impact Assessment resources, and the World Bank and IFC’s publications on development impact measurement.