Triple Jump and Social Performance

Triple Jump firmly believes that with the right policies and implementation, microfinance can help contribute to poverty alleviation, empowerment and sustainable development. We seek to balance the social and financial return objectives of our investors, integrating our commercial focus with the social dimension of microfinance. All our staff have been trained in the area of social performance by rating agencies who conduct social ratings. Triple Jump is a member of the Social Performance Task Force (SPTF) and an active member of the Investor Stakeholder Group of the SPTF.

Find here the Triple Jump Social Performance Assessment 2010.

The Triple Jump Due-Diligence SP Assessment Tool
In cooperation with Oxfam Novib, Triple Jump has developed an in-depth social performance assessment tool which is used to evaluate all Oxfam Novib and ASN-Novib clients. Our social performance tool assesses the MFI’s social intent, the implementation of these social intentions, and the social results achieved.  Results are assessed in terms of: Client Satisfaction, ClientProtection,  Outreach, Gender,  Human Resources and Social Performance Information.

The Client Protection Principles
In the second half of 2008, CGAP and the Center for Financial Inclusion at ACCION International launched the Client Protection Principles as part of a collaborative initiative together with a broad coalition of microfinance institutions, networks, funders and practitioners. The Client Protection Principles (CPPs) describe the minimum measures that microfinance institutions should take to protect low-income clients from potentially harmful financial products and to ensure that clients are treated fairly. You can read more about the principles and the accompanying campaign at www.smartcampaign.org.

Triple Jump, ASN Bank, Calvert Foundation, Oxfam Novib, the NOTS Foundation and SNS Bank have all endorsed the CPPs. This means that we have committed ourselves to promoting the principles and to incorporating them into our own procedures. A specific client protection questionnaire is now part of the standard loan appraisal process for all funds. We hope to raise awareness among MFIs about the steps they can take to protect their clients and thus help ensure that they benefit from the potential of microfinance.

Microfinance Transparency

An important part of client protection is transparent communication about the costs of services offered. We believe that transparency in pricing is essential for clients to be able to compare rates, which in turn is necessary for competition to lead to a decrease in rates. Although regulation is the most important and effective way of reaching transparency, there are very few countries where this is addressed. Where regulation does not adequately address pricing transparency, initiatives like MicroFinance Transparency (MFT) have an important role to play. MFT works with MFIs, Central Banks and investors to bring about pricing transparency in the microfinance industry. Triple Jump has endorsed MFTransparency, promotes the MicroFinance Transparency Effective Interest Rate calculator with its clients, and supported the 2009 Cambodian transparency study with a donation.