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A
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ACTIVE CLIENTS
Individuals, groups, or organizations with active credit or savings accounts (excluding remittances or other financial transactions) or clients who have had transactions with the MFI during the reporting period.
ADOLESCENT
An adolescent is a person under 18 years of age.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Housing for which the associated financial costs are at a level that does not threaten other basic needs and represents a reasonable proportion of an individual’s overall income.
Source: Human Rights Education Associates
ASSET
Assets are economic resources. Anything tangible or intangible that is capable of being owned or controlled to produce value and that is held to have positive economic value is considered an asset. Simplistically stated, assets represent ownership of value that can be converted into cash (although cash itself is also considered an asset).
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BED DAYS AVAILABLE
The maximum number of inpatient days of care that would have been provided if all beds were filled during the year. If 50 beds were available for use each day during the year, bed days available would be 50 x 365 = 18,250. If the number of beds fluctuated throughout the year, bed days available should reflect this and the calculation would be more complicated.
BENEFICIARY
Individuals for which the organization intends to provide opportunities through consumption, production, or distribution of its products or services.
BIODEGRADABLE
Capable of decomposing under natural conditions. Source: U.S. EPA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A group of people legally responsible to govern a corporation and is responsible to the shareholders and sometimes to stakeholders as well.
Source: B Lab
BUILDING REUSE
Buildings renovated/remodeled that were initially constructed (and completed) at least 40 years ago.
Source: TBLC
BUSINESS TO BUSINESS (B2B)
Organization operates by selling its goods or services to other businesses, formal or informal.
BUSINESS TO CONSUMER (B2C)
Organization operates by selling its goods or services to the end consumer (individuals, households, communities, etc.).
BUSINESS TO GOVERNMENT (B2G)
Organization operates by selling/providing its goods or services to government agencies.
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CAREGIVERS
Individuals who provide healthcare services. A caregiver could be a doctor, nurse, clinician, etc.
CASH EQUIVALENTS
Cash equivalents are short-term, highly-liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value.
CERTIFICATION
A certification must be from a third party, be standards-based, have those standards be transparent, and have an assurance process. The process of certification is carried out by a recognized body, independent from interested parties, which demonstrates that a product or organization complies with the requirements defined in the standards or technical specifications.
CHARITABLE DONATION
Charitable donations include financial contributions and in-kind donations of goods and services to non-profits. Pricing discounts to non-profits do not count as charitable donations; only free services are considered to be in-kind donations.
CLIENT
Buyer or recipient of the organization's products or services.
NOTE: The customer or client need not pay for the product.
..... For microfinance clients, this refers to active clients.
..... For healthcare providers, this refers to patients.
CLIENT PROTECTION
This indicator is linked to The Campaign for Client Protection in Microfinance, which seeks to unite microfinance providers worldwide to develop and implement standards for the appropriate treatment of low-income clients based on the following six principles:
1) Avoidance of Over-Indebtedness
2) Transparent Pricing
3) Appropriate Collections Practices
4) Ethical Staff Behavior
5) Mechanisms for Redress of Grievances
6) Privacy of Client Data
For more information about the client protection initiative, visit the website of the Center for Financial Inclusion at this link: http://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org
CODE OF ETHICS
Sometimes called a Code of Conduct or Code of Business Standards. This is a formal document that establishes behavioral expectations for the organization and the people who work there.
Source: B Lab
COMMUNITY SERVICE POLICY
A code that encourages and allows employees to volunteer or engage in charitable giving. For example, organizations might offer employees a certain number of hours/year of paid time off to volunteer, or organize company-wide service days, service sabbaticals, or leaves of absence, etc. Included in the definition is serving on an organization's board or governing body.
Source: B Lab
CONTRACT
A contract is an agreement with specific terms between two or more persons or entities in which there is a promise to do something in return for a valuable benefit, such as payment. The existence of a contract requires that there be a proposed and accepted offer, a promise to perform by one entity and a promise to provide a valuable benefit by the other (payment), and a time or event by which performance must occur.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Corporate governance is the system by which business corporations are directed and controlled. The corporate governance structure specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants in the corporation, such as board members, managers, shareholders, and other stakeholders, and spells out the rules and procedures for making decisions on corporate affairs.
CORPORATION
An organization where shareholders maintain ownership; managed by a Board.
CURATIVE VISITS
Curative visits are trips to a healthcare provider for a specific physical issue or concern. The focus of these visits is treatment.
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DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION
Depreciation and Amortization is the systematic allocation of depreciable assets, tangible (depreciation) and intangible (amortization), over the assets' useful lives.
DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
Equipment used to diagnose diseases and other illnesses. Types of diagnostic equipment include, but are not limited to, ultrasounds, PET (position emission tomography) scanners, MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computed tomography) scanner machines.
DIRECT EMISSIONS
Emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the reporting organization. For example, direct emissions related to combustion would arise from burning fuel for energy within the reporting organization’s operational boundaries.
DISABLED
A disabled person is an individual with a physical, cognitive/mental, sensory, emotional, or developmental impairment, or some combination of the above.
DRINKING WATER STANDARDS
Standards determining the quality of drinking water in the context of prevailing environmental, social, economic, cultural conditions, with reference to the presence of suspended matter, excess salts, unpleasant taste, and all harmful microbes. Meeting of those standards does not necessarily imply purity.
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EARNED PREMIUM
The value of the portion of a policy’s premium that applies to the expired portion of the policy. Although insurance premiums are often paid in advance, insurers typically earn the premium at an even rate throughout the policy term. The remainder is the unearned premium.
Source: Glossary of Insurance & Risk Management Terms
ENERGY CONSERVATION
Energy conservation refers to efforts made to reduce the total amount of energy needed to carry out current processes or tasks. The term does not include overall reduction in energy consumption from reduced organizational activities (e.g., partial outsourcing of production).
Source: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
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FAIR DISMISSAL
Reasons for dismissal which shall not be considered valid include those based on union membership or participation in union activities, filing of a complaint against an employer, race, color, sex, marital status, family responsibilities, pregnancy, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin, temporary absence due to illness, or absence from work during maternity leave.
Source International Labour Organization (ILO)
FINANCIAL SERVICES DELIVERY METHODOLOGY
1. Individual loans: A loan made to an individual borrower who is solely responsible for its repayment.
2. Solidarity group: A loan group made up of approximately 3–10 people drawn from the same community and where group members collectively guarantee loan repayment.
3. Village banking: As in solidarity groups, loan repayment is guaranteed by collective membership, but loan groups are bigger, made up of approximately 20–30 people (typically women).
FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE
Full-time employees work year round and typically work 35-50 hours per week. If local definitions of full-time equivalency differ, use appropriate standard.
FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT
A full-time equivalent job is the equivalent of at least a 35-hour workweek. In calculating the number of full-time equivalent jobs, part- time employees should be aggregated to full-time equivalents by summing up the total number of hours worked by all part-time employees during a reporting period and dividing by the number of full-time equivalent (35 hour) workweeks during the reporting period.
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GREEN BUILDING
Green building is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle from sitting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and deconstruction.
Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
Greenhouse gas measured in CO2 equivalents. The most common gases include carbon dioxide, NOx, SOx, methane, etc.
GREYWATER
Water from the kitchen, bath and/or laundry, which generally does not contain significant concentrations of excreta.
Source: World Health Organization
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HAZARDOUS WASTE
Refuse that could present dangers through the contamination and pollution of the environment. It requires special disposal techniques to make it harmless or less dangerous.
Source: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY FACILITIES
Health service delivery facilities are facilities that aid in the provision of medical care/treatment. These can include pharmacies, kiosks, diagnostic centers, rehabilitation centers, customer outlets, etc.
HEALTH SERVICE-RELATED MANUFACTURING FACILITIES
Health service-related manufacturing facilities are those that are involved in the manufacturing of products for health-related purposes. This can include medical devices, prevention products (bed nets), or pharmaceuticals.
HECTARES DIRECTLY CONTROLLED
Hectares under the organization's direct control are those for which the organization completely controls land use through direct operation or management. This would include situations where the organization's employees cultivate the land directly.
Note that land ownership is not always equivalent to control. For example, when land is leased to another entity or individual to cultivate, land is only directly controlled if the lease is accompanied by exhaustive land use criteria.
HECTARES INDIRECTLY CONTROLLED
Hectares under the organization's indirect control are those for which the organization exerts significant influence or total control over land use practices, but that the organization does not directly cultivate or manage.
Examples in which the organization indirectly controls land may include purchase contracts specifying cultivation techniques on a significant portion of an operating entity's land. This may occur when organizations, such as cooperatives, source agricultural inputs from smallholder farmers on teh condition that the smallholders adhere to specific land use practices.
HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE FOREST
Areas with environmental and social values that are considered to be of outstanding or exceptional importance. An HCVF can be a small part of a larger forest, such as an archeological site, or can be an entire forest unit, as is sometimes the case when the forest is habitat for a threatened or endangered species.
Source: Rainforest Alliance
HIGHLY HAZARDOUS PESTICIDE
Pesticide use refers to insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, disinfectants, and any substance intended for preventing, destroying, attracting, repelling, or controlling any pest, including unwanted species of plants or animals during the production, storage, transport, distribution, and processing of food, agricultural commodities, or animal feeds that may be administered to animals for the control of ectoparasites. Highly hazardous pesticides refer to pesticides with potentially dangerous impacts on life and health. Refer to the list available from the World Health Organization for most up to date list on pesticides currently considered highly hazardous.
(See http://www.who.int/ipcs/publications/ pesticides_hazard_2009.pdf)
Source: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO)
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INDEPENDENT BOARD MEMBER
Independents are defined as non-management and non-material investors/owners (owning less than 5%).
Source: B Lab
INDIRECT EMISSIONS
Emissions that result from the activities of the reporting organization but are generated at sources owned or controlled by another organization. In the context of this indicator, indirect emissions refer to Greenhouse Gas emissions from the generation of electricity, heat, or steam that is imported and consumed by the reporting organization.
INDIVIDUAL LENDING
A loan made to an individual borrower who is solely responsible for its repayment.
INPATIENT DAYS OF CARE
Sum of each daily inpatient census, or the daily number of patients staying overnight at the facility, totaled over the reporting period. To arrive at this total, add together the number of overnight patients throughout the reporting period.
INSURANCE PREMIUM
The amount of money an insurer charges to provide the coverage described in the policy or bond. Insurance premiums may vary due to factors such as geography or policy length, for example.
Source: Glossary of Insurance & Risk Management Terms
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LARGE ENTERPRISES
Businesses with more than 250 workers.
LIABILITY
A liability is a present obligation of the organization arising from past events, the settlement of which is expected to result in an outflow from the entity of resources with economic benefit.
LIFE SUPPORT MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
Equipment used to maintain the function of a patient’s organs, includes but is not limited to medical ventilators, anesthetic machines, heart-lung machines, and dialysis machines.
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
An organization that is owned by one or more members and controlled by members or managers .
LOAN OFFICER
A loan officer is a staff member of record who is directly responsible for arranging and monitoring client loans.
Source: Microfinance Information Exchange
LOW INCOME
Low-income people are individuals living above the poverty line but below the national median income.
For any update about poverty lines and Purchasing Power Parity visit: http://www.povertytools.org/
For U.S. clients, a client whose annual (gross) income does not exceed 80% of the median family income for the area (adjusted for family size).
Please refer to HUD standards here: http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/affordablehousing/library/glossary/.
To determine the 2010 income limits by area please refer to: http://www.huduser.org/portal/datasets/il/il10/index.html.
Clients above the poverty line but below the national median income.
For any update about poverty lines and Purchasing Power Parity visit: http://www.povertytools.org/
For U.S. clients, a client whose annual (gross) income does not exceed 80% of the median family income for the area (adjusted for family size).
Please refer to HUD standards here: http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/affordablehousing/library/glossary/.
To determine the 2010 income limits by area please refer to: http://www.huduser.org/portal/datasets/il/il10/index.html.
LOW INCOME AREA
A geographic area (neighborhood, village, other region) where the median family income is less than 80% of the median family income of the surrounding vicinity.
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MANAGER
Managers are individuals who have the responsibility to oversee organizations or units within organizations. Managers plan, direct, coordinate, and evaluate the overall activities of enterprises, governments, and other organizations, or of organizational units within them, and formulate and review their policies, laws, rules, and regulations.
Adapted from source: International Labour Organization (ILO)
MEDICAL REFERRAL
The process through which a healthcare provider sends a patient to see a specialist to receive additional care.
MICROENTERPRISE LOAN
Microenterprise loans are those made to microenterprises. See definition of microenterprise.
In the U.S., a microenterprise loan is below $50,000 as of 2010 and below $35,000 before 2010
(Source:'Microloan' definition from the Small Business Association. See http://www.sba.gov/content/microloan-program).
MICROENTERPRISES
Microenterprises are those with ten or fewer workers and which are often unregistered and run by the Poor or Very Poor.
MICROENTREPRENEUR DISTRIBUTOR
Self employed Individuals working on behalf of an organization to make available (either by reselling, sub-licensing, or otherwise distributing) its products and services within a community.
MINORITY/PREVIOUSLY EXCLUDED
Minority or previously excluded should relate to local guidelines for places with well-established policies (e.g., South Africa: Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) definition of previously excluded, India: based on backward caste), otherwise provide footnote as to methodology.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission statement is a concise message that expresses how your company generates financial, social and/or environmental value through its business activities.
Source: B Lab
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NATIVE SPECIES
Species native to a given territory means a species that has been observed in the form of a naturally occurring and self-sustaining population in historical times.
NEW ACCESS TO EDUCATION
Students who are provided schooling who previously were not in school because the distance they had to travel, cost they had to pay, or requirements of entry prohibited the student from attending.
NEW ACCESS TO ENERGY
Previously un-electrified households served with access to electricity either from utility/community generation, distributed generation, or improved distribution during the reporting period.
NEW ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
Individuals who previously were not served by formal health care because the distance they had to travel, cost they had to pay, or requirements of entry prohibited them from seeking such services.
NEW ACCESS TO WATER
Households, served by the organization, that previously did not have Reasonable Access to Water.
NON-PROFIT/NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
A non-profit organization is one that is registered as a non-profit entity according to the rules/regulations of the country in which it is based. A non-governmental organization (NGO) has primarily humanitarian or cooperative, rather than commercial, objectives and is largely independent of government. Refer to national regulations of the country in which it is based.
NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY
Energy from sources that can not be replenished (made again) in a short period of time. Non-renewable energy sources include oil and petroleum products (including gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, and propane), natural gas, coal, and Uranium (nuclear energy).
Source: Compiled definition from World Bank glossary and U.S. Department of Energy glossary.
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OCCUPATIONAL INJURY
An occupational injury is any personal injury, disease or death resulting from an occupational accident. An occupational accident is an unexpected and unplanned occurrence, including acts of violence, arising out of or in connection with work which results in one or more workers incurring a personal injury.
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO)
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PART-TIME EMPLOYEE
Part-time employees work year round but do not meet full-time equivalency standards (typically less than 35 hours a week).
PARTNERSHIP
An organization that is owned by two or more individuals or other entities, and is controlled by those partners.
POOR
The poor are people living below a recognized poverty line. Commonly recognized poverty lines include
(1) persons living below the poverty line established by the national government, or
(2) persons living on less than US $2.00 per day in daily per-capita expenditures at 1993 Purchasing Power Parity.
For any update about poverty lines and Purchasing Power Parity visit the website: http://www.povertytools.org.
POTABLE WATER
Water that is safe for drinking and cooking according to defined standards. See also drinking water standards.
PUBLICLY-KNOWN FEEDBACK MECHANISM
A publicly-known mechanism would be a way that clients or employees can provide feedback, ask questions and file complaints that is broadly recognized and promoted by the company and that most/all clients/employees are aware of. Examples include products that have an email address or phone number for customer feedback listed on packaging; a company that has a feedback link displayed on it's customer-facing website or internal employee website; a company that includes a customer feedback number on its invoices or contract agreements. A publicly-known mechanism does not include a company that accepts feedback through informal mechanisms (such as occasional phone calls from customers or reliance on self-volunteerism from employees).
Source: B Lab
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REASONABLE ACCESS TO WATER
The availability of at least 20 liters per person per day from an acceptable source within 1 kilometer of the user’s dwelling. Acceptable sources include: household connection, public standpipe, borehole, protected dug well or spring water, rainwater collection, connection to a public sewer or septic system, pour-flush or simple-pit latrine, and ventilated improved pit-latrine.
Source: United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)
RECYCLING
The reprocessing of materials into new products, which generally prevents the waste of potentially useful materials, reduces the consumption of raw materials, lowers energy usage, and decreases greenhouse gas emissions compared to virgin production.
REFORESTATION
Planting of forests on lands that have previously contained forest but have since been converted to some other use.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. This includes electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, and hydrogen derived from renewable resources.
Source: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
REPORTING PERIOD
The reporting period is the time from the reported Report Start Date to the Report End date.
REVENUE
Revenue is the gross inflow of economic benefits arising in the course of the ordinary activities of an organization when those inflows result in increases in equity, other than increases relating to contributions from equity participants. Revenue includes only the gross inflows of monies received and receivable by the organization on its own account. Amounts collected on behalf of third parties, such as sales taxes, goods and services taxes, and value added taxes are not economic benefits which flow to the entity and do not result in increases in equity. Therefore, they are excluded from revenue. Similarly, in an agency relationship, the gross inflows of economic benefits include amounts collected on behalf of the principal and which do not result in increases in equity for the entity. The amounts collected on behalf of the principal are not revenue. Instead, revenue is the amount of commission.
RURAL
Rural areas are characterized by low population densities with a strong presence of a farm economy. Use guidelines as defined by the area’s national government.
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SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Sexual harassment is sex-based behavior that is unwelcome and offensive to its recipient. - For sexual harassment to exist, two conditions must be present: 1) Quid Pro Quo, when a job benefit - such as a pay rise, promotion, or even continued employment - is made conditional on the victim acceding to demands to engage in some form of sexual behavior or 2) hostile working environment in which the conduct creates conditions that are intimidating or humiliating for the victim. Behavior that qualifies as sexual harassment is as follows: - Physical: Physical violence, touching, unnecessary close proximity - Verbal: Comments and questions about appearance, life-style, sexual orientation, offensive phone calls - Non-verbal: Whistling, sexually-suggestive gestures, display of sexual materials.
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO)
SMALL TO MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Businesses with fewer than 50 employees are defined as small. Businesses with more than 50 but fewer than 250 employees are defined as medium.
SMALLHOLDER FARMERS
Marginal and sub-marginal farm households that own and/or cultivate less than 2 hectares of land. Common characteristics of smallholder farmers are that they have low access to technology, limited resources in terms of capital, skills, and risk management, depend on family labor for most activities, and have limited capacity in terms of storage, marketing, and processing.
Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Syngenta Foundation
SOCIAL PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Social Performance Management (SPM) is a practical approach that helps the MFI to look at the entire institution through a social lens, SPM guides the MFI in translating their “lofty” missions into Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-specific (SMART) social performance objectives. Social Performance Management involves the process of effectively collecting and using information in order to adapt and improve an organization's products and institutional systems so that every day operations can contribute directly to the long term goal of mission fulfillment.
More information available at http://www.mfc.org.pl/index_new.html.
Source: Microfinance Center
SOLE-PROPRIETORSHIP
An organization controlled by an individual owner.
SOLIDARITY GROUP LENDING
Solidarity Group lending refers to the use of groups for disbursement of funds and collection of repayment on loans to either the group as a whole or to the individual members of that group. Borrowers of such groups often bear joint and several liability for the repayment of all loans to the group and its members. This group liability may also determine credit decisions made by the institution. Solidarity Groups vary in the degrees to which they use groups for credit decisions, disbursement, collection, or to reduce credit risk. For this standard, loans are considered to be of the Solidarity Group methodology when some aspect of loan consideration depends on the group, including credit analysis, liability, guarantee, collateral, and loan size and conditions.
Source: Microfinance Information Exchange
STRICT NATURE RESERVE
Strictly protected areas set aside to protect biodiversity and also possibly geological/geomorphical features, where human visitation, use and impacts are strictly controlled and limited to ensure protection of the conservation values. Such protected areas can serve as indispensable reference areas for scientific research and monitoring.
Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature
SUPPLIER
Business that provides goods or services to an organization to help move a product or service from the organization to its customer. These businesses may or may not be aligned with the impact objectives of the organization.
SUSTAINABLE CULTIVATION
An integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term: satisfy human food and fiber needs; enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends; make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.
Sustainable farming practices commonly include: crop rotations that mitigate weeds, disease, insect and other pest problems; provide alternative sources of soil nitrogen; reduce soil erosion; and reduce risk of water contamination by agricultural chemicals; pest control strategies that are not harmful to natural systems, farmers, their neighbors, or consumers. This includes integrated pest management techniques that reduce the need for pesticides by practices such as scouting, use of resistant cultivars, timing of planting, and biological pest controls; increased mechanical/biological weed control; more soil and water conservation practices; and strategic use of animal and green manures; use of natural or synthetic inputs in a way that poses no significant hazard to man, animals, or the environment.
Source: USDA Agricultural Dictionary. For more information see http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/terms/srb9902.shtml#toc2.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Development which meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It assumes the conservation of the natural assets for future growth and development.
Source: United Nations Statistics Division
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TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE
Temporary employees are defined as seasonal and contract employees. Seasonal employees are primarily used in agriculture or fisheries. Contracted employees are generally hired for the completion of a specific task.
TOXIC POLLUTANTS
Materials contaminating the environment that cause death, disease, or birth defects in the organisms that ingest or absorb them. The quantities and the length of exposure necessary to cause these effects can vary widely.
Source: United Nations Statistics Division
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URBAN
Urban areas are characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Use guidelines as defined by the area’s national government. IRIS consider all areas that are not rural to be urban.
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VERY POOR
The very poor are people living below a recognized absolute extreme poverty line. Commonly recognized extreme poverty lines include
(1) persons in the bottom 50% of those living below the poverty line established by the national government,
(2) persons living on less than US $1.00 per day (technically $1.08 per day per capita at 1993 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) or on less than of US $1.25 per day at 2005 PPP), or
(3) the USAID extreme poverty line, which varies by country.
For any update about poverty lines and Purchasing Power Parity visit: http://www.povertytools.org.
VILLAGE BANKING
Village Banking and Self Help Groups refer to methodologies that provide access to credit and savings services through group or community managed associations. Loans from microfinance institutions (MFIs) are considered of this type when the MFI lends to the group, which in turn uses this money to lend to its members. Loans to the Village Bank or Self Help Group are made under the collective guarantee of the group. Loans may also be made from the retained profits of the group or from group members' savings. These loans are considered internal to the Village Bank or Self Help Group.
Source: Microfinance Information Exchange
VOLUNTARY DEPOSITORS
The total number of individuals who currently have funds on deposit with a microfinance institution (MFI) on a voluntary basis, i.e. they are not required to maintain the deposit account to access a loan. This number applies only to deposits that are held by the MFI, not to those deposits held in other institutions by the MFI’s clients.
VOLUNTEER
Individual that work for the organization without payment or other formal compensation for their time or services.
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WASTE GENERATION
Total weight of all materials disposed during the reporting period.
WASTE WATER
Water that carries wastes from homes, businesses, and industries. This is usually a mixture of water and dissolved or suspended solids.
Source: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
WATER CONSERVATION
Water conservation refers to efforts made to reduce the total amount of water needed to carry out current processes or tasks. The term does not include overall reduction in water consumption from reduced organizational activities (e.g., partial outsourcing of production).
Conservation efforts include organizational or technological innovations that allow a defined process or task to consume water more efficiently. This includes improved water management practices, process redesign, the conversion and retrofitting of equipment (e.g., water-efficient equipment), or the elimination of unnecessary water use due to changes in behavior.
WATER QUALITY PRESERVED
Volume of water not used or treated sustainably through an installed septic system or storm water practices for new construction or renovation including bio-swales, pervious surfaces or water conservation practices (e.g., low flush toilets). Measured in gallons of water not used or treated as a result of the investment.
WATER RECYCLING
Water Recycling is defined as using on-site treated waste water for beneficial purposes. For example, treating previously used water to be used for irrigation, toilet water, etc.
Source: World Resources Institute (WRI)
WATER REUSE
Water Reuse is defined as reclaiming and using previously used water for beneficial purposes. Reused water usually doesn’t need treatment to be reused. For example, reusing water for cooling purposes in power generation, etc.
Source: World Resources Institute (WRI)
WATER USE
Yearly consumption of water purchased and/or drained from surrounding streams, rivers, or lakes (cubic meters).
WELL VISITS
Well visits are trips to a healthcare provider when the patient is in fine physical health. The focus of these visits is preventative care.
WRITTEN PREMIUM
The insurance premium registered on the books at the time a policy is issued and paid for.
Source: Glossary of Insurance & Risk Management Terms
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