Workshop A

Quantifying What Matters: Social Return on Investment (SROI) 101

10 Sep (Thur) Day 1 : 15:45 – 17:00

Full Programme
Workshop A

Impact comes in many forms, and organisations often face a fundamental challenge: how do we understand what has changed, for whom, and how far those changes have improved people’s lives or circumstances?

This workshop is designed for corporates and organisations looking to strengthen the evidence behind their social programmes. It introduces Social Return on Investment (SROI) as a practical tool to help quantify and articulate impact in financial terms, creating a common language to communicate value across stakeholders.

By translating different impact drivers into measurable value, SROI enables organisations to better understand where impact is being created, compare outcomes, and identify opportunities to enhance programme effectiveness.

The workshop will also introduce how to define outcomes and develop indicators that are meaningful to stakeholders and feasible to track in lean team settings. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to begin applying these concepts in a practical way within their own programmes and organisations.

Session Learnings:

  • Understand the core concepts and principles of Social Return on Investment (SROI)
  • Explore how SROI can support both impact reporting and programme improvement
  • Learn how to define clear outcomes for social initiatives
  • Develop practical approaches to setting relevant and measurable indicators
  • Recognise common challenges and myths in impact measurement and how to address them pragmatically

Post-Event Actions:

  • Initiate internal discussions with different stakeholders on the potential use of SROI within their organisation
  • Review existing programmes to identify opportunities for improving impact measurement
  • Strengthen impact reporting by defining clearer outcomes and aligning indicators
  • Pilot simple outcome measurement approaches in programmes or initiatives

Speakers

Lillian Chan

Nan Fung Group

Assistant Manager, Sustainability and Shared Value

Lillian focuses on how social programmes lead to real change in people’s lives and communities. With a degree in Journalism and Communication, she naturally looks for both the story and the evidence behind it, and now brings that mindset into sustainability and social impact.

At Nan Fung Group, Lillian works with internal teams and NGO partners to optimise community projects, track results, and use approaches such as Social Return on Investment (SROI) and Theory of Change to connect those results with the outcomes they aim to deliver. Her role spans social value disclosure and impact advisory, bringing together data and stories to generate insights that inform decisions, strengthen programmes and build trust with stakeholders.

Earlier in her career, Lillian worked in corporate PR and media relations, partnering with clients in culture, finance and professional services to shape their narratives and engage the public. That experience continues to guide how she approaches impact today – keeping information robust, but also clear, human and meaningful for the people reading it.

At ReThink HK 2026, Lillian will co-host “Quantifying What Matters: SROI 101”, supporting participants to clarify outcomes, measure change and communicate their social value with greater confidence and care.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

  • Make impact visible and actionable: Support organisations to turn their social impact work into clearer outcomes, practical indicators and robust stories, enabling teams and stakeholders to learn from the evidence, improve programme design and communicate those changes with confidence.

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 1

Quantifying What Matters: Social Return on Investment (SROI) 101

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