W+ Standard Verifier Programme Launch Webinar Liz Allen & Lisa - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

W+ Standard Verifier Programme Launch Webinar

Liz Allen & Lisa McMullan Social Audit Network March 2020

Webinar hosts, SAN Directors

Liz Allen

• Social enterprise, corporate social

responsibility, business planning and all things social impact

• Director at The Connectives
• linkedin profile

Lisa McMullan

• Women’s entrepreneurship,

enterprise education, social enterprise and social impact

• Director at The Women's Organisation
• linkedin profile

Webinar aims

• To raise awareness and understanding of the W+ Standard
• To share information about the W+ Standard Verification process –

what this means in action

• To outline the process of applying to become a SAN approved W+

Standard Verifier

• To explain the next steps and action required

What is W+?

• A standard that can be applied to projects supporting the economic

development of women

• A means of converting women’s activities into money for those

women

• A chance to support communities in developing countries
• Developed by WOCAN

What is W+?

The W+ measures women’s empowerment in 6 domains:

• 1. Time
• 2. Income & Assets
• 3. Health
• 4. Leadership
• 5. Education & Knowledge
• 6. Food Security

Why do we need a standard?

• WOCAN created the W+ Standard to:
• measure the impact of women’s empowerment
• accelerate investments in women - particularly women’s groups
• address persistent gaps in women's access to resources and capital and scale

up solutions to climate change, food security and poverty

W+ Verification

• Independent verification provided by SAN
• Review
• Project Idea Note
• Project Design Document
• Monitoring Report
• Site visits to establish
• What has been achieved?
• How much change has happened in the lives of the women?
• Can we see evidence of their empowerment?

Underpinned by SAN principles…

1. Clarify purpose 2. Define scope 3. Engage stakeholders 4. Determine materiality 5. Make comparisons 6. Be transparent 7. Verify accounts 8. Embed the process

W+ benefits

• It produces quantified women-benefit units that contribute towards

post 2015 Sustainability Goals (SDGs), Climate Financing or Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) targets.

• Demonstrating commitment to women’s empowerment
• Evidencing of impact; individual woman and community levels
• Engaging & consulting women as key stakeholders
• Improving & informing future activities
• Being accountable

Examples

• Ouarzazate, Morocco – sheep farming co-operative
• Kavre & Sindhuli, Nepal – biogas units
• Lombok, Indonesia – biogas units
• Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – financial education

Becoming a SAN W+ Standard Verifier

• Competence based approach

Making the case

The value of undertaking W+ Standard verification The role of the W+ Standard Verifier

Verification Process

Processes Architecture

Gender Focus

The need for women’s empowerment initiatives Women’s empowerment domains

Personal Practices

Evaluation & reflection Action plan

Section 1 I can clearly demonstrate competences around: Understanding the value of undertaking W+ Verification and the role of the W+ Verifier in the process

By demonstrating that I can … Guidance for completing application: submissions are expected to include:

Making the case for W+ Standard Verification

1.1 identify the drivers to why project developers choose to use the W+ Standard as a way to recognise their work Reference to relevant policy and

• rganisational drivers (such as

statements of policy on gender equality and empowerment; practical guidance for good practices in social audit and verification processes. 1.2 explain the value of applying the W+ Standard to development projects Reference to W+ Standard documentation or similar; examples or good practice cases. 1.3 describe the role of the W+ Standard Verifier and good practice approaches to undertaking verification processes Reference to W+ Standard documentation or similar; examples of undertaking similar roles or good practice cases. 1.4 provide examples of current thinking on social audit and verification processes And on the role of social value / impact reporting and verification Evidence of use of up to date references / guidance / approaches to audit / assurance / verification of social impact.

Section 2 I can clearly demonstrate competences around: Understanding the W+ Standard Verification architecture and processes

By demonstrating that I can … Guidance for completing application: submissions are expected to include:

The W+ Standard Verification: Process & Architecture

2.1 review and analyse qualitative and quantitative information, and make objective assessments based on available information Evidence of analysing different kinds of information, drawing objective conclusions 2.2 engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including project developers, with professionalism and impartiality Evidence of engaging with different stakeholder groups to gain meaningful and useful information 2.3 produce written reports using clear language, following appropriate structures and within a strict timeframe Evidence of report writing in line with stated formats and timescales. 2.4 describe the W+ Standard architecture, implementation processes and principles guiding verification. Description of the underpinning principles, key components and processes involved with the W+ Standard.

Section 3 I can clearly demonstrate competences around: Understanding the unique gender focus of the W+ Standard By demonstrating that I can …

Guidance for completing application: submissions are expected to include:

The W+ Standard Verification: Gender Concepts

3.1 explain the need for women’s empowerment initiatives; and their fit with the UN SDGs Knowledge of issues impacting on gender equality and empowerment, particularly in developing countries, and examples of initiatives addressing these issues 3.2 describe the W+ Standard women’s empowerment domains and explain why these are important, and the associated outcomes of activities in each of the domains Providing examples of activities and indicators for women’s empowerment in each of the 6 domains 3.3 promote diversity and inclusion in the implementation of verification processes, in particular when consulting stakeholders Recognition and evidence of individual requirements / actions to support inclusivity / specific approaches that promote diversity and inclusion

Section 4 I can clearly demonstrate competences around: Evaluation of personal practices and values as an independent verifier / auditor; and planned intent to maintain knowledge of social audit & verification activities

By demonstrating that I can … Guidance for completing application - submissions are expected to include:

Evaluation, Reflect and Action Plan

4.1 evaluate the ways in which my values, as a social auditor or provider of assurance and verification services, are aligned to those of the W+ Standard. Explicit and relevant reference to social accounting and audit principles and W+ Standard 4.2 adopt a reflective approach to evaluating my values and practices as a social auditor / assurance and / or verification provider. Evidence of using a framework to reflect

• n own approach to work

4.3 identify the knowledge requirements of my role as a social auditor / assurance or verification provider and plan learning /development to address any gaps in knowledge, with regard to verification processes and / or gender development issues Identify key knowledge and skill requirements and produce an action plan for learning and development plan

Becoming a SAN W+ Standard Verifier

• Application form
• Supporting evidence
• Payment

Becoming a SAN W+ Standard Verifier

Cost

• The fee is £500 GBP, covering accreditation costs and support for 3

years from your successful accreditation date

• The accreditation fee is payable upon submission of your application
• You are invited to express your interest and intention to submit an

application by emailing info@socialauditnetwork.org.uk with EOI W+ Standard Verifier Application in the subject

Becoming a SAN W+ Standard Verifier

Timing

• Your application and supporting evidence should be submitted for

assessment by 30/06/2020 to info@socialauditnetwork.org.uk

• Successful applicants will be contacted to arrange a confirmatory
• nline interview by 31/07/2020
• If further information is needed, applicants can access additional

mentoring support and will be invited to resubmit their application for consideration on or before 30/09/2020

Next Steps

• Contact us for access to our online supporting learning resources
• A further online information session including Q&A will be held in the

first week of June 2020 - if you are interested in proceeding with the W+ Verifier accreditation process please ensure that you register for this session

• Submit your completed application form and supporting evidence by

30/06/2020

ANY QUESTIONS?

Thank you

• info@socialauditnetwork.org.uk