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Common Framework Standards

Common Framework Version 1.0 is here!

The Common Framework fills a crucial gap in the impact measurement value chain by bridging bottom-up metrics and portfolio-level analysis. It enables the transformation of diverse, context-specific metrics into coherent, decision-useful insights. It complements existing methodologies and standards.

We are so excited to share this work with our community, and look forward to your input!

The exposure draft of Version 1.0 of the Common Framework is now available, and will be open for input until June 30, 2026.

 

Download the Version 1.0 exposure draft Submit feedback More about the Common Framework

What we're hearing from early reviewers

We are very grateful to our early stage reviewers, a group of practitioners and partners across the impact measurement ecosystem, who provided valuable feedback and insights. Read more about what they said and how we implemented their feedback here.

 

“[This] addresses one of if not the hardest challenge that exists in our field… no one has yet cracked the top-down bottom-up conundrum! This could be it!”

 

“…a strong and well-structured introduction to the Common Framework [that] clearly explains the background thinking alongside the practical steps taken and they both do a great job of laying out the foundational logic in a way that is easy to follow.”

 

“The Common Framework fosters comparability: transparent aggregation logic, harmonized units, bounded discretion, and replicable documentation.”

 

 

 

About the continued development of the Common Framework

Common Approach believes that standards are communities, not documents. As part of our commitment to being community-driven, we ask the users of our standards and the broader public for feedback on existing and proposed draft updates to the standards. We believe that giving our community a chance to review and provide input is crucial to ensuring our standards remain relevant and effective.

Like any shared practice, the Common Framework is evolving. Each application improves it: refining how themes are defined, how assumptions are documented, how conversions and exclusions are handled, and clarifying boundaries of aggregation. When something doesn’t work, it is adapted. When something works, it becomes part of what is common enough.That is how this methodology becomes truly common—not because it is perfect, but because it is usable, verifiable, and built to improve over time.

The journey to a more inclusive and effective impact measurement system is a collective one. The Common Framework provides a path forward that values both local relevance and global insight. By working together and by continuously refining our shared practices, we can ensure that impact data serves everyone’s needs: the communities at the heart of social change, to the investors fueling that change—ultimately driving better decisions and better outcomes for people and the planet. Let’s build what’s common, together.

 

Provide feedback on the Common Framework Version 1.0

The exposure draft of Version 1.0 of the Common Framework is now available! If you’re interested in providing feedback, please review the draft and then submit your thoughts via the form linked below.

Input from our community makes our Standards stronger. We appreciate everyone who takes the time to share their thoughts and experiences with us!

 

Download the Version 1.0 exposure draft Submit feedback