A new and exciting community called The Durability Collective has just been established, aimed at revolutionizing the approach to measuring and enhancing social outcomes. Officially launched today, this global initiative focuses on redefining how social impact organizations conceive and assess their sustainable contributions.
In an inspiring move, The Durability Collective endeavors to challenge the common notion that measuring long-term outcomes is overly costly and complex. Traditional methods, such as randomized controlled trials, can be daunting for both funders and practitioners. The Collective proposes innovative pathways to impact assessment that supplement these formal methods, offering valuable insights into sustainable outcomes.
The members of The Durability Collective consist of a diverse set of stakeholders including foundations, non-profit organizations, multilateral entities, and governmental agencies—all committed to fostering sustainability results. The organization initially targets those involved with livelihood improvement, helping stakeholders zero in on initiatives that most effectively bolster employment, income, and long-term well-being.
Notably, the launch includes several founding members such as Autodesk Foundation, Clayton Dubilier Rice Foundation, Generation, GitLab Foundation, Livelihood Impact Fund, and UBS Optimus Foundation. Together, they aim to
- - Initiate discussions around the essential question, 'Is the change sustainable?' to generate a broader dialogue across sectors,
- - Reform industry standards to better measure medium and long-term results,
- - Share expertise in an open, collaborative manner to derive collective learning.
To achieve these ambitious goals, The Durability Collective is rolling out a series of engaging initiatives:
- - Durability Academy: Slated to launch in June 2025, this two-year program will empower non-profits, funders, and government agencies with practical tools and comprehensive training to adopt effective long-term measurement practices.
- - Research Partnerships: Collaborating with academic institutions to pinpoint interventions, this initiative aims to create a library of open-source methodologies that encourage sustainable results.
- - Thought Leadership: The Collective will publish research findings, case studies, and best practices that position sustainability measurement as a core component of social impact evaluation.
- - Local Development: This effort seeks to build a worldwide community where members can convene to swap ideas, address challenges, and innovate collaboratively.
Ishita Jain, who oversees measurement and impact management at Autodesk Foundation, expressed, "At Autodesk Foundation, we continuously strive to deepen our understanding of impact. The Durability Collective opens unique avenues for us to enhance our strategies while contributing to sector-wide improvements. It signifies a move from merely counting the number of learners to realizing the true significance of lasting job and income impacts for those learners."
Meanwhile, Randy Moore, president of Clayton Dubilier Rice Foundation, remarked on their proud support for a long-term result-driven initiative that aligns talents with organizations. He highlighted that Generation's global experience complements The Durability Collective's pragmatic approach to impact measurement, offering an opportunity for transformative and enduring change.
Mona Mourshed, the founder and CEO of Generation, detailed their belief in the power of employment to change lives. They define impact through three pillars: reach, depth, and sustainability. While reach refers to the number of learners aided, depth is about immediate employment results post-program, and sustainability assesses if these gains remain two to five years later. Mourshed asserts that sustainability is often overlooked in their field, and The Durability Collective aims to rectify that oversight by proving that measuring sustainable change is both feasible and cost-effective.
Spencer MacColl, Director of Impact at GitLab Foundation, emphasized their commitment to facilitating systemic and sustainable change, adding that assessing long-term impact is crucial. He sees The Durability Collective as a valuable infrastructure for learning and accountability, enabling shared progress towards sustainability.
Jeremy Hockenstein of the Livelihood Impact Fund stated their mission focuses on significantly improving the lives of the impoverished sustainably. He underscored the importance of understanding how supported programs and leaders generate change over the years rather than just months.
Lastly, Nalini Tarakeshwar, deputy CEO of UBS Optimus Foundation, expressed excitement in supporting The Durability Collective, asserting that their mission to emphasize the measurement of sustainable change aligns closely with their own approach towards fostering systemic change.
This initiative seeks to address the global employment crisis exacerbated by the skill-job mismatch, particularly affecting marginalized young women. For more information on joining or learning about The Durability Collective, visit durability.net.
About The Durability Collective
The Durability Collective is a global community of funders, practitioners, and researchers enhancing our collective capacity to measure social impact and foster sustainable change. Contrary to misconceptions, it believes measuring medium and long-term outcomes can be both feasible and cost-effective. Find out more at durability.net.