Learning Note: Navigating Firm Selection for Women-Inclusive ROI
- Partner: USAID Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP), DAI, Williams Davidson Institute
- Publication Type: Case Study
- Date: March 25, 2024
- Team: Erin Markel, Sabine Garbarino, Yaquta Fatehi, Ryan Bourque, Jenny Stankowski
- Recommended Citation: MarketShare Associates. Learning Note: Navigating Firm Selection for Women-Inclusive ROI. Washington, D.C.: United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Prepared by Erin Markel, Sabine Garbarino, Yaquta Fatehi, Ryan Bourque, Jenny Stankowski for DAI through the Feed the Future Market Systems and Partnerships (MSP) Activity, 2024.
The Women-Inclusive Return on Investment (WI-ROI) Case Study Series demonstrates on-the-ground impact from the WI-ROI Framework, as it closely follows two small and medium-sized (SMEs) that are implementing women-inclusive initiatives and showcasing measurable financial returns. The learning note highlights key steps (and data needs) in what may seem like a complicated process for selecting, evaluating, and tracking WI-ROI investments in SMEs.
Key women’s inclusion considerations include understanding the business model and how (if) policies benefit women, how new women’s inclusion business practices can be compared with existing models, and what data currently exists or may need to be created to accurately assess pre- and post- interventions.
While the two case studies examined focus on ex-post financial performance impact, there is immense potential to integrate a WI-ROI lens in early-stage partnerships based on MSP’s experience applying its WI-ROI Framework across four firms. The approach outlined in this learning note can be used to guide women-inclusive investments across the development cycle.
This learning note was originally published on Marketlinks on March 25, 2024.
