1. Toward Positive and Enduring
Change for People Living in Poverty
John D. Bergeron, Director
The Pro-Poor Seal of
Excellence

2. Responsible & effective practitioners
can be hard to find
Source: Mojaz Foundation

3. What does the Seal aim to achieve?
•Rigorous evaluation methodology
Credible with standards and indicators
•A learning environment to share
Achievable poverty results best practices
•Positive and enduring change for
Aspirational people living in poverty

4. Who leads the Seal?

5. The Seal as label for
Pro-Poor Microfinance
“LEEDS”
“Fair Trade”
building
coffee
certification
“Impact-
“Organic”
First”
food
Microfinance
Seal of
Excellence

6. Methodology
o Compatible with
Industry standards
o Inclusive of Client
Protection
Principles of the
Smart Campaign
o Inclusive of
Universal
Standards for SPM
from SPTF
o Indicators answer
two main questions 6

7. Methodology: Indicators
Qualifying Core Additional
• Financial • Poverty • Appropriate
Sustainability Outreach Non-Financial
• Client • Appropriate Services
Protection and Quality • Gender equity
• Universal Financial • Transformation:
Standards Services for the Contribution to
Poor positive and
lasting change
7

8. Indicators
2.4 Poverty Outreach at Entry Benchmarked (as relevant for
country)
o % <National poverty line
o % <$1.25 at PPP
o % < $2.5 at PPP
o % < $5 at PPP
o (Disaggregate by gender as applicable)

9. Indicators
3.3 Clients Supported in Vulnerable Situations
o % defaulters who are poor clients who ‘can’t pay’
o % poor clients with rescheduled loans
o % poor clients with savings products for emergencies
o % poor clients with insurance intended to respond to important risks
for them
o % poor clients with payouts on such insurance, previous year
o Disaggregate by gender as applicable

10. Jordan
Pakistan Bolivia
Philippines
Beta India
Testing
South
Senegal
Africa
Peru

11. Partnership for Pakistan

12. Roadmap to Pro-Poor Microfinance:
The Seal of Excellence and the 100 Million Project
Commit
1: Members endorse and
Measure
adhere to the Smart
Campaign’s Client 4: Members measure
Learn
Protection Principles performance against
2: Members have a social their social missions 6: Members are using
Change
mission 5: Members measure measurement data to
3: Members have a poverty levels of clients adjust products and 9: Members see
mission to reduce services and delivery measureable movement
poverty channels out of poverty among
7: Members are being their clients
assessed on Smart 10: Members recognized
8: Members receive by the Seal of Excellence
outside assessments of share best practices
social performance within the community of
practice

13. Achievable:
The Seal defines a journey
• Accountability
• Tool collection
and dissemination
• Adaptive management
• Case studies
• Exposure visits

14. Achievable Levels of the Seal
•Stating
Community
of Practice Commitment
to the Poor
•Emerging
First
Level Pro-Poor
Practitioner
•Achievement in
Second
Level
Pro-Poor
Microfinance
•Leadership in
Top Level Pro-Poor
Microfinance

15. Better Service, Better Outcomes
Source: Kiva

16. QUESTIONS?
jd@propathways.org
MeasureLearnChange@gmail.com