M2i Consulting

 Introduction: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs are essential for businesses looking to make a positive impact on society. However, to ensure these programs are effective, it is crucial to start with a baseline survey. M2i, a leader in CSR consulting, emphasizes the importance of baseline surveys in creating impactful and sustainable CSR initiatives. In this blog, we will explore what a baseline survey is, its significance for CSR programs, and how M2i can help your business conduct a comprehensive baseline survey for maximum impact. What is a Baseline Survey? A baseline survey is an initial study conducted before the implementation of a CSR program. It provides a snapshot of the current conditions, helping organizations understand the existing situation, identify needs, and set realistic goals. This foundational data is essential for measuring the impact of CSR activities over time. The Importance of Baseline survey for CSR program 1. Understanding the Current Situat...

Demonstrating Value Impact evaluation is an essential tool for demonstrating the value of CSR projects CSR projects . It enables companies to showcase positive changes and align initiatives with stakeholder expectations. IMPCA’s approach to impact assessment incorporates participatory approaches to ensure that people’s voices are heard. This allows for a more relevant and meaningful evaluation focus. Methods The methodologies used in an impact evaluation vary depending on the objectives of the evaluation and the types of changes being sought. In general, impact assessments should be centered on responding to a small number of high-level key evaluation questions that can be addressed using different sources of evidence. They should also include descriptive questions to guarantee that the opinions of individuals whose lives ought to be enhanced by the intervention are at the heart of the evaluation findings. An impact assessment should focus on both intermediate and final outcomes. Gen...

Financial inclusion through business correspondents, the endeavor to bring marginalized populations into the formal financial fold, is crucial for economic empowerment. One effective tool in this pursuit is the Business Correspondent (BC) model. BCs serve as representatives of banks, bringing financial services directly to people's doorsteps, bypassing the need for physical bank branches. This approach offers several advantages: 1. **Access to Basic Banking Services**: BCs act as an extension of bank branches, facilitating various financial transactions like cash deposits and withdrawals, money transfers, bill payments, and more. This accessibility is particularly beneficial for those in remote areas, empowering them with fundamental banking services that can fuel economic activities and enhance their quality of life. 2. **Increased Economic Resilience**: By leveraging local agents like Kirana store owners and post offices, the BC model ensures efficient and cost-effective deliver...

  Impact assessment of enterprises involves foreseeing the potential outcomes of any action or change and planning accordingly to address both positive and negative results. It's about being responsible to various stakeholders while ensuring sustainable decisions for organizational progress. Microfinance is a key strategy adopted by SIDBI to promote financial inclusion. Initially, it experimented with providing microcredit through NGOs, which had the advantage of reaching areas underserved by formal banking. These NGOs acted as intermediaries, extending credit to marginalized individuals who lacked access to traditional financial services. Recognizing the success of this model, SIDBI expanded its reach to include marginalized communities such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Classes. Over time, SIDBI has enhanced its lending to MSMEs, with a particular focus on environmentally sustainable initiatives. The institution's loan portfolio has seen significant gro...

The activities of microfinance institutions (MFIs) are accompanied by a wide range of financial and non-financial risks that require special attention. Maintaining sustainability of MFIs is an essential prerequisite for achieving their objective – poverty alleviation and improving the quality of life of poor people. This objective can be achieved through the use of sustainable strategies based on effective risk management. MFIs must balance their social mission of helping poor people with financial sustainability and profitability. To do this, they need to manage a wide range of risks including operational costs, interest rates, loan portfolio quality, and client credit risk. In addition, MFIs must also be able to compete with other formal and informal financial providers, such as banks, moneylenders, and mobile money platforms. Despite the significant challenges, MFIs remain committed to their goals and work tirelessly to help poor people achieve economic empowerment. However, the lac...

  Microfinance institutions (MFIs) face a dual challenge: staying financially stable while aiding the financially disadvantaged. It's crucial for them to show how their efforts benefit their clients economically. Impact assessment is the key to achieving this. Yet, evaluating MFI impacts is tricky. The lack of standardized methods is a major hurdle. Also, contextual factors make it hard to establish a baseline and track MFI effects over time. To tackle these issues, the authors propose a fresh approach to impact assessment in microfinance. They suggest a hands-on method involving clients and staff right from the start to learn and enhance operations. This approach includes qualitative methods like interviews and on-site visits, unlike the typical one-time surveys often done for donor funding. The authors stress the importance of MFIs involving stakeholders in ongoing assessment and using new tech for data collection and analysis. By doing so, MFIs can pinpoint areas for improvemen...