The Role of Social Impact Strategy in Driving Systemic Change

Measurement culture is becoming increasingly necessary for organisations striving to maximise their social impact. Dr Rhiannon Parker examines why this is important for helping the for-purpose sector stay relevant and effective in a rapidly changing landscape.

Social Impact Strategy is not just a buzzword; it’s an essential tool for turning high-level policy intentions into tangible, real-world outcomes. As society grapples with complex issues like inequality, environmental sustainability, and access to essential services, well-crafted policies alone are not sufficient. Social impact strategies bridge the gap between policy goals and practical implementation, ensuring that efforts to address societal challenges are intentional, measurable, and sustainable.

Social impact strategies are developed and implemented by various organisations, including non-profit organisations, social enterprises, corporations, hybrid businesses, and government bodies. Non-profits often use social impact strategies to align their activities with broader social goals, while corporations might employ these strategies to demonstrate their social licence to operate, enhancing their reputation and accountability to stakeholders. Government bodies also use SIS to ensure policy initiatives translate into effective, on-the-ground actions. By providing a structured approach, social impact strategies helps these organisations create systemic change that benefits communities and individuals alike.

The Urgent Need to Align Policy with Practice

While policies establish the framework for addressing social issues, without clear strategies to guide their implementation, their intended impact can fall short. Social impact strategies provide the roadmap that connects policy objectives with actionable steps, ensuring that interventions are thoughtfully designed, responsive, and capable of creating lasting change.

For instance, the Roadmap to Social Impact developed by the Centre for Social Impact (CSI) offers a practical guide for organisations to plan, measure, and communicate their impact. This roadmap helps organisations align their initiatives with broader policy goals, using robust evaluation techniques and evidence-based methods to ensure that their efforts meet the real needs of communities.

Strategies That Bridge Policy and Practice

Effective social impact strategies are not static plans but dynamic, responsive approaches rooted in the lived experiences of those they aim to serve. Here are examples of how targeted strategies have successfully bridged the gap between policy and practice:

Addressing Disability Support in Healthcare: Following the Disability Royal Commission, the Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 was developed to better align healthcare services with the needs of people with disabilities. This strategy integrates person-centred approaches and supports decision-making models, directly influenced by the lived experiences of people with disabilities. By embedding inclusive practices across the healthcare sector, the strategy aims to ensure meaningful improvements in care and accessibility.

Addressing Childhood Poverty and Wellbeing: Tackling childhood poverty requires addressing a complex web of interconnected factors, such as education, health, and social support. The Logan Together initiative in Queensland is a prime example of using social impact strategy to tackle childhood disadvantage. By applying systems thinking and engaging with the community, Logan Together aligns policy goals with practical interventions, such as integrated service delivery and community-driven solutions that address the root causes of poverty. 

How Strategies Connect Policy to People’s Lives

Bridging the gap between policy and practice requires strategies that are co-created with those they aim to serve. Social impact strategies that actively involve diverse stakeholders, particularly from marginalised communities, ensure that interventions are relevant, effective, and grounded in real-world needs.

  • Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Social impact strategies evolve as new data and feedback are collected, allowing them to remain responsive to changing social needs. This adaptability ensures that policies are not static directives but continuously refined to serve people effectively.

  • Inclusive Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging communities ensures that social impact initiatives are not just imposed from above but are built around the lived experiences of those they intend to support. This approach fosters trust, improves outcomes, and ensures that interventions are genuinely impactful.

What is The Path Forward?

As social challenges grow increasingly complex, integrating policy and practice through strategic approaches will be essential. Social impact strategies offer a way to make policies actionable, driving real change in people’s lives. Collaboration between organisations and policymakers will be crucial to closing the gap between policy intent and actual outcomes. By prioritising adaptability, stakeholder engagement, and continuous learning, we can ensure that policies not only set ambitious goals but also achieve them.

Stay tuned for my next post, where I delve deeper into how organisations can avoid the pitfalls of superficial social impact strategies and build approaches that drive real, measurable change.