Trying to value social progress in a better way is not a new concept. Some 20-30 years ago, the practice of Social Accounting and Audit (SAA) gained some popularity in Ireland. An 'Institute of Social Auditing of Ireland' was even set up, and although it still exists, it no longer appears to be active.
SAA shares many similarities with Social Return On Investment (SROI), but there are differences too. The Social Audit Network in the UK has a document that explores the commonalities and divergences between these two approaches to accounting for value.
None of the founders of Social Value Ireland (Quality Matters, The Wheel and Whitebarn Consulting) have SAA expertise. We are wondering if anyone in Ireland, on either side of the border, is still using SAA. We would love to know if so and also how they find it. If this is you, or you know of an organisation that still uses SAA, please contact us.