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IRIS+ – Impact management metrics system

To compare impact across projects, you first need the same measuring stick. The GIIN's IRIS+ is the impact metrics catalogue most widely used by investors, with about 780 standardised, coded metrics. On Sustainability 360° (Bền vững 360°), FTS CSRA experts explain the IRIS+ structure, what metric codes mean, how to pick Core Metrics Sets and how companies and funds in Vietnam can apply them.

FTS CSRA
3 min read
IRIS+ – Hệ thống chỉ số quản trị tác động
IRIS+ – Hệ thống chỉ số quản trị tác động · Photo: FTS CSRA
Contents
  1. Purpose and main structure
  2. 2.1. Main impact categories
  3. 2.2. Metric IDs and concrete example metrics
  4. Who uses it and how
  5. Practical example
  6. Notes for use in Vietnam

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IRIS+ – Hệ thống chỉ số quản trị tác động
IRIS+ – Hệ thống chỉ số quản trị tác động · Ảnh: FTS CSRA

Overview and origin

ItemDetails
Vietnamese nameHệ thống chỉ số quản trị tác động IRIS+
English nameIRIS+ (Impact Reporting and Investment Standards)
Issuer / administratorGlobal Impact Investing Network (GIIN).
NatureA free metrics and guidance system; not a mandatory reporting standard or certification. Current catalogue: IRIS version 5.3c, about 780 metrics.
Reference scopeImpact investing, social enterprises, microfinance, funds; linked to the SDGs (goal and target level), the Five Dimensions of Impact and the Joint Impact Indicators (jobs, gender, climate).

IRIS was launched in 2009 by the Rockefeller Foundation, Acumen and B Lab and later handed to the GIIN. In 2019 the GIIN upgraded it to IRIS+, adding Core Metrics Sets by strategic goal, calculation guidance and SDG alignment. According to a 2025 GIIN paper, IRIS metrics align with 78 of the 169 SDG targets, covering 83% of the catalogue.

Purpose and main structure

Purpose: help investors and companies measure the same way, reduce reporting burden and compare impact results across investments.

  • Impact Categories: broad areas aligned to ISIC sectors.
  • Impact Themes: strategies within each category (e.g., financial inclusion, clean energy).
  • Lenses: cross-cutting approaches such as a gender lens or racial equity.
  • Strategic Goals: each has a Core Metrics Set with calculation guidance.
  • IRIS Catalog of Metrics: every metric has an ID, definition, unit and usage guidance.

2.1. Main impact categories

Impact categoryImpact category
AgricultureAir
ClimateBiodiversity & Ecosystems
EducationEmployment
EnergyFinancial Services
HealthInfrastructure
LandOceans & Coastal Zones
Real EstatePollution
WasteWater
Diversity & Inclusion
The layered structure of IRIS+: from impact categories down to the coded metrics catalogue.
Figure 1. The layered structure of IRIS+: from impact categories down to the coded metrics catalogue. (AI-generated image) / Hình 1. Cấu trúc nhiều tầng của IRIS+: từ nhóm tác động đến danh mục chỉ số có mã. (Ảnh do AI tạo)

2.2. Metric IDs and concrete example metrics

Every IRIS metric has an ID made of a two-letter prefix and four digits. The examples below come from the IRIS 5.3c catalogue:

PrefixInformation typeExample metrics (ID – name)
ODOrganization DescriptionOD3725 – IRIS ID
OIOperational ImpactOI9331 – Anti-Discrimination Policy; OI2165 – Number of Legal and Regulatory Complaints; OI7639 – Value of Fines and Settlements; OI1023 – Access to PPE; OI9101 – Adaptation Needs Assessment; OI4564 – Units/Volume Replaced
PDProduct DescriptionPD9681 – Non-financial Support Offered
PIProduct ImpactPI4060 – Client Individuals; PI7985 – Active Use; PI4180 – After-sale Client Support; PI9250 – Active Borrowers per Loan Officer; PI5750 – Area of Adjacent Protected Land; PI9170 – Area of Buildings Reused; PI4765 – Area of Community Facilities Financed; PI1653 – Account Value
FPFinancial PerformanceFP2213 – Accounts Receivable; FP2852 – Accounts Payable

Who uses it and how

Users: impact funds, microfinance institutions, social enterprises, companies receiving capital from international impact investors, and funders.

  1. Identify the impact categories and themes that fit the business model.
  2. Pick strategic goals and download the matching Core Metrics Sets from iris.thegiin.org.
  3. Prioritise core metrics; add catalogue metrics if needed, always citing the IRIS ID.
  4. Set baselines and targets; collect data exactly per the definitions and units.
  5. Analyse along the Five Dimensions of Impact; report to investors with IRIS IDs for comparability.
What IRIS metric prefixes mean, with real example metrics.
Figure 2. What IRIS metric prefixes mean, with real example metrics. (AI-generated image) / Hình 2. Ý nghĩa tiền tố trong mã chỉ số IRIS và ví dụ chỉ số thực tế. (Ảnh do AI tạo)

Practical example

Hypothetical case: Microfinance Company N in Thanh Hoa, 25,000 clients, mostly rural women, funded by a European impact fund.
Information to reportIRIS IDHow to collect
Client individualsPI4060From the loan management system, split by gender and area
Active borrowers per loan officerPI9250Active borrowers / number of loan officers
Non-financial support offered (business training)PD9681Service list, number of training sessions
Anti-discrimination policyOI9331Issued policy document
Legal and regulatory complaintsOI2165Complaints log, together with OI7639 (fines)

Using IRIS IDs lets the fund aggregate Company N's data with other portfolio investments without conversion.

Notes for use in Vietnam

  • Cite the catalogue version (currently 5.3c), as definitions can change between versions.
  • Do not freely translate metric names in investor reports: keep the English name and IRIS ID, adding Vietnamese notes only.
  • Combine with domestic data: check baselines against Vietnam's SDG statistical indicator set.
  • Not a disclosure standard: IRIS+ is for measurement; public disclosure should still follow GRI or ISSB standards.
  • Small companies: start with 5–10 core metrics rather than trying to use many.

Method & scope

Content compiled and interpreted from FTS Impact Lab and documents of the issuing body; versions and sources should be verified before publication.

References

  1. IRIS+ Catalog of Metrics (GIIN) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-24)
  2. IRIS+ Core Metrics Sets (GIIN) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-24)
  3. GIIN (2025) – IRIS+ and the SDGs ↗ (accessed 2026-10-24)
  4. Cross-references: Five Dimensions of Impact (Impact Frontiers); SDGs; GRI (accessed 2026-10-24)
In-depth analysisExpert perspectivesSustainability trendsCase studiesCreating shared valueSustainability reportingSustainable economyCircular economyCommunity developmentSocial enterpriseResearch reportsFrameworksGlossaryCSR & ESG advisoryImpact measurement

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