5 Dimensions of Impact by impact Frontiers
The “5 Dimensions of Impact” is the internationally recognized framework developed by IMP and now maintained by Impact Frontiers. It provides a comprehensive structure for understanding and managing the social and environmental impact generated by enterprises. The five dimensions are used as a foundational tool during impact due diligence and Impact Measurement & Management (IMM).
- What — What outcome is the enterprise contributing to, whether positive or negative, and how relevant or significant is that outcome to the individuals, communities, or the planet experiencing it.
- Who — Who experiences the outcome, including which individuals, groups, or communities; and importantly, which socio-demographic segments (e.g. gender, class, geography) receive the impact.
- How Much — How many people experience the outcome, to what extent the change occurs (depth), and over what duration/time horizon.
- Contribution — Whether and to what degree the enterprise (or investor) has contributed to the outcome versus what would likely have occurred anyway (the counterfactual). This helps distinguish additional impact attributable to the intervention.
- Risk — What is the likelihood and magnitude that the anticipated impact does not materialize, or that unintended negative consequences occur; in other words, the risks that may undermine or reverse expected impacts.
By systematically analyzing impact across these five dimensions, investors can assess both the quality and quantity of potential outcomes, and make more informed, balanced investment decisions. At SIIFIC, we integrate this global standard into our impact due diligence and IMM process to ensure rigorous, comparable, and transparent impact evaluation.