Upcoming Events

Social Performance Management (SPM) is the effective translation of an institution’s mission into practice, aligned with accepted social goals. Considered fundamental and a standard business practice to achieving the social promise of microfinance, thereby enabling microfinance organizations to achieve both social and financial success – collectively known as the double bottomline approach. SPM encourages MFIs to incorporate various social goals in their daily operations like serving increasing numbers of poorer people sustainably and improving the quality of financial services through assessment of clients’ needs. It also upholds MFIs’ performance on the way to reducing clients’ vulnerability and improving social responsibility, not only to clients but to employees and communities as well.

SEEDFINANCE promotes the implementation of SPM-related principles into its Partner Financial Institutions’ (PFIs) operations.  It currently provides trainings, workshops and activities to enable people in the organization deliver their mission in line with their social goals.

Client Protection Principles (CPP) is one aspect of SPM that helps microfinance institutions practice good ethics and smart business, especially towards its clients.  It features minimum standards that clients shall expect to receive when doing business with their respective MFIs. In support with the Smart Campaign, a global effort to unite microfinance leaders to a goal of keeping clients as the driving force of the industry, SEEDFINANCE facilitated a workshop on Client Protection Principles last August 27 and 28, 2012 which was held at Mango Park Hotel in Cebu City. It was attended by SEEDFINANCE’s field personnel along with the representatives from Dumanjug Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DMPC), Surigao Economic Development Foundation, Inc. (SEDFI), First Consolidated Cooperative along Tañon Seaboards (FCCT), ICTUS Premier Cooperative (ICTUS), Livelihood Education and Assistance for Development Services Cooperative (LEADSC), and Omaganhan Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (OFMPC) – PFIs from Visayas and Mindanao.

Progress out of Poverty Index (PPI), on the other hand; is an objective client poverty assessment and targeting tool that provides data to enable microfinance institutions to manage their social performance. It is an inexpensive and easily-to-collect scorecard comprised of simple, non-financial indicators. With SEEDFINANCE’s partnership with Grameen Foundation, a training of trainors on Progress out of Poverty Index was held last September 19-21 at NATCCO Hostel in Quezon City. SEDFI, LEADSC, OFMPC and First Macro Bank experienced the actual conduct of gathering PPI data as they visited several clients in the province of Bulacan. They were also taught on how to tabulate and initially analyze responses which would eventually assist their respective organizations in improving their services and better the lives of their poor clients.

A second-level training on Progress out of Poverty Index that focuses on data analysis was held last October 8 at Pacific Pension Hotel in Cebu City. Its objective was to educate partner organizations in understanding different poverty outreach metrics and producing reports that will track changes in poverty levels over time. The activity guided DMPC, SEDFI, FCCT, ICTUS, LEADSC and OFMPC to effectively come up with strategic decisions, especially on how to set their targets towards deepening outreach to the poor and identify various types of interventions they can apply to different market sectors.