Value of Voluntary Savings Accounts (PI3240)

This metric is intended to capture the value of voluntary savings accounts the organization manages as of the end of the reporting period. Organizations are encouraged to footnote information on the average and median balances of the voluntary savings accounts managed, additional data points that can help estimate the typical savings level among the accounts’ owners. The average account balance can be calculated by dividing this metric by the Number of Voluntary Savings Accounts (PI6439).

Organizations reporting this metric may include savings programs with incentives or obligatory savings that clients can opt into (not including guarantees).

While this metric measures the value of formal savings (voluntary savings accounts), those interested in measuring financial health may also wish to measure or estimate informal and non-cash savings.

In specific contexts, and based on evidence, this metric may serve as a proxy indicator of whether the outcome being sought by an investor or organization is occurring (the WHAT dimension of impact). For more on the alignment of IRIS metrics to the five dimensions of impact, see IRIS+ and the Five Dimensions of Impact (https://iris.thegiin.org/document/iris-and-the-five-dimensions/). No single metric is sufficient to understand an impact; rather, metrics are selected as a set across all dimensions of impact. When possible, the selection of metrics to measure and describe the five dimensions should be based on best practice and evidence.