Disability CSR: Metrics to Report and How to Present Them

The metrics to report for disability CSR are activations, active use, training completed, support tickets resolved and beneficiary feedback. Each one counts something a reader can check, such as how many people set up a device and how many still use it after a defined period. Report the counts first, then add a short narrative and beneficiary quotes, and avoid medical claims. Metrics that are defined clearly and repeated each year are what allow a reader to see a trend.

Key takeaways

• Report counts before adjectives.
• Track five core metrics: activations, active use, training completed, support tickets resolved and beneficiary feedback.
• Define each metric in a footnote so the reader knows exactly what was counted.
• Use the same definitions every year, so that changes over time are real and not a change in method.
• Present the metrics in a table in the annual report, followed by a short narrative.

The five core metrics

Each metric answers a different question. Together they show whether people were reached, whether the device was set up, whether it was used, whether the user was supported and what the user thinks of it. Agree the definitions with the implementing partner before the programme starts, because a definition set after the data is collected invites doubt.

• Activations: the number of users who completed setup and their first chosen task.
• Active use: the number of activated users who used the device during a defined recent period. Set the period and the threshold in the programme design and state both in the report.
• Training completed: the number of users who finished the agreed training sessions.
• Support tickets resolved: the number of questions or problems raised by users that were closed, with the average time to close, if recorded.
• Beneficiary feedback: the number of users who gave feedback through a set method, and a summary of the themes, with quotes used only with permission.

A sample metrics table

The table below is a template. The right-hand column shows how each figure should appear in the report. Fill in the counts from the programme's own records, and keep the definitions identical from one year to the next.

Where a metric is not yet recorded, say so in the report and explain the plan to start recording it. A gap that is disclosed is easier to trust than a figure that cannot be traced.

Choose the reporting period deliberately. Annual figures suit the board's report, while quarterly figures help the CSR committee see progress during the year. Whichever cadence you choose, state the period on every figure, and make sure the counts in the annual report reconcile with the programme's own records. A figure that cannot be traced back to a log is a weak figure, however good it looks in a table.

Presenting disability CSR metrics in the annual report

The annual CSR report is prepared in the prescribed format and is included in the board's report. Place the disability metrics table near the top of the disability section, so the reader sees the counts before the narrative. Keep it in the section that describes each project, next to the Schedule VII item it maps to and the amount spent. Then add a short narrative that says what changed, what did not work and what the programme will do next. The narrative should explain the method, so that a reader understands how each count was reached.

If the programme spent less than planned, the reasons belong in the report alongside the metrics. Explain whether the cause was slower enrolment, a delay in training or a change in the number of people who wanted to take part. Honest reasons make the rest of the report easier to believe.

Avoiding common reporting mistakes

A few habits weaken disability CSR reports. Most of them can be fixed with a short review before publication.

• Using counts without definitions, so that a reader cannot tell what was measured.
• Changing definitions between years and presenting the change as progress.
• Presenting feedback as clinical or medical evidence. SMARTON assists with everyday tasks and does not diagnose or treat a condition.
• Reporting only the stories that went well and leaving out the counts for the whole group.
• Omitting the data gap for metrics that are not yet recorded.

For more on how to structure the evidence for a disability programme, read the guide to impact reporting for disability programmes in India. The guide to per-rupee impact in disability inclusion budgets explains how to connect each metric to the money spent on it.

Agree the five metric definitions with your implementing partner before the next programme year begins, and write them into the project note. If you want to talk through how metrics would work for a particular programme, reach out through the contact page and the SMARTON team will discuss it with you.