Upaya launched the Dignified Jobs Collaborative to build a common standard for measuring the dignity and quality of jobs

Bangalore, India | November 9, 2023

Upaya Social Ventures (Upaya) announced the release of the first set of jobholder data collected from the Dignified Jobs Collaborative survey of 989 jobholders working for one of seven Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) in India. The jobholders were interviewed on the quality of their jobs across waste management, agriculture, construction, rural manufacturing, and retail sectors. The findings highlight the deep impact being created by these companies.

The data shows that 64% experienced an income increase after starting their jobs with the participating SGBs; an additional 22% are now earning income for the first time. Even more respondents, however, experienced an improved quality of life (84%), skills training (84%), and reduction in debt burden (72%). The report also identifies areas that need intervention and deeper support such as an inability to contribute to savings (79%). The data will ultimately be used to develop job quality benchmarks for impact investors to integrate into their impact management and measurement practices.

“This report is a culmination of months of research and analysis,” said Shruti Goel, Director of Impact Management and Measurement at Upaya Social Ventures, “and we believe that it will be a valuable resource for the impact investing actors in India to demonstrate with evidence how SGBs are an engine for creating quality jobs and need to be supported adequately to break the cycle of poverty.”

Upaya launched the Dignified Jobs Collaborative this year in partnership with Dalberg, ANDE, Dasra’s Social Compact, and 60 Decibels to build a common standard for measuring the dignity and quality of jobs created through impact investments for those in extreme poverty. The collaborative so far has brought together seven impact-first investors and their portfolio companies in emerging markets to draw insights on how to integrate measuring dignity and quality of jobs in their impact measurement and management systems.

"Our partnership with the DJC has helped us better contextualize and understand the results of our investments in financial resilience, job security, and job satisfaction,” said Emma Marks, Impact Manager at S3IDF, one of the participating impact investors. “These insights have helped us refine our theory of change as an impact-first investor. The DJC report also fills a critical data gap and creates a valuable benchmark for other stakeholders committed to creating dignified and high-quality jobs."

The impact investors that participated in the survey included Upaya, as well as Acumen, Ankur Capital, Beyond Capital Fund, elea Foundation, S3IDF, and Yunus Social Business. The survey, with its promising findings, mark the first major step in Upaya’s push to incentivize outcome funders to support the development of dignified jobs.

“We look forward to working with outcomes funders who want to use this empirical data to set benchmarks to incentivize quality jobs,” Said Kate Cochran, CEO of Upaya. “We plan to launch such a project in 2024.”

ABOUT THE DIGNIFIED JOBS COLLABORATIVE

The Dignified Jobs Collaborative is a coalition of impact organizations driving investment in dignified employment opportunities for those living in extreme poverty in emerging markets. Rooted in the Global South, the Dignified Jobs Collaborative focuses on improving job quality in the predominantly informal jobs created through early-stage businesses.

The collaborative launched in March 2023 with seven mission-aligned investors in India who committed to benchmarking the quality of jobs created by SGBs for people in extreme poverty. The mission of the collaborative is to use this data to unlock capital that incentivizes businesses and investors to create high-quality jobs for the underserved and, in the process, establish the vital link between profit and purpose. 

ABOUT UPAYA SOCIAL VENTURES

Upaya Social Ventures is a nonprofit organization building an inclusive economy by providing investment and support to early-stage businesses creating dignified jobs for people living in the most extreme poverty.

Upaya’s award-winning, impact-first model seeks out and supports oft-overlooked companies creating work that is safe, stable, inclusive, and rewarding—generating a transformative impact on families, communities, and economies.

Since its founding in 2011, Upaya’s portfolio companies have created over 30,000 dignified jobs across India. Please visit upayasv.org for more information.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Madlin D’silva
mdsilva@upayasv.org