Finding 10
“ We need to be realistic about what is possible and what is not : the issue of ‘ impact ’ does not meet with much understanding within the company . There are zero time resources for the subject .” ability reporting alongside Bayer ’ s other sustainability goals , e . g . in matters pertaining to the environment . 29
Another example is the BMW Foundation , whose goal is to promote responsible and sustainable leadership . In 2011 , the Foundation decided to also channel some of its assets into impact investments . Since then , the Foundation has invested € 20 million in the promotion of socially and environmentally worthwhile business models . The Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ) serve as a frame of reference . The IMP ( Impact Management Project ) of UNDP , OECD and others provided the set of indicators . A digital platform helps to establish comparability with the work done by other organisations . The result allows the BMW Foundation to make data-based decisions for greater effectiveness . With regard to the first SDG goal of ending poverty , it is now possible , for example , to survey across investee organisations how many people were supported with financial services each year worldwide and how appropriate the support was to their needs . The extent to which the foundation itself has contributed to making the recipient organisations more effective is also surveyed . 30
Overall , however , DAX companies still have a lot of catching up to do on all three levels – outcome assessment , aggregation and transparency . Targets are usually only defined at the output level , where real results have not yet had to be demonstrated . In most cases , in-depth impact reports are only available at the project level . The opportunity to consider impact at the supra-regional , systemic level is generally not yet made use of . However , it can be assumed that discerning consumers , the media and regulators will soon pick up on this deficit . This would be a similar scenario to that in which the NGOs were initially praised uncritically for their “ good deeds ” and later increasingly asked to explain and demonstrate what they had really changed for the better .
Measuring social outcomes & impacts at DAX companies
8 + 33 + 59 + w
59 %
8 %
33 %
Outcome assessment mainly carried out and reported
Outcome assessment carried out sporadically and / or not reported
Outcome assessment not carried out or not clearly reported
44