PPI Blog

In recent years, there has been a focus on measurement across all types of organizations working to improve the lives of people living at the ‘bottom of the pyramid’. Particularly for organizations that operate with a business model, this focus has turned from measurement not just for reporting to management and stakeholders, but for obtaining valuable information that can help manage the company’s social performance.

Launched at the United Nations in 2008, the Business Call to Action (BCtA) aims to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by challenging companies to develop inclusive business models that engage people at the base of the economic pyramid (BoP).

By: Caitlin Scott, Social Performance Manager, Friendship Bridge

In the rural areas of Guatemala where poverty is the highest, women survive through self-employment such as weaving, small-scale farming, or selling food in local markets. Without sufficient capital and training to grow their businesses, these women often struggle to make ends meet and create a better future for their families. Friendship Bridge serves exclusively women through a Microcredit Plus program that includes credit, education, and health services.

For a microfinance loan officer, managing a portfolio of hundreds of clients and keeping a vigilant eye on the financial bottom line is critical for reaching sustainability and scale. At the same time, she wants to serve her poor clients and help them to move up the economic ladder.