GAAP

[shazza_p1]

do we need an equivalent to measure social impacts

[geofbob]

This sounds like a course question; so let me make it clear that the following comments are those of a lay person. By GAAP, I take it you mean Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, used by accountants when auditing and preparing company accounts for annual reports etc. It would be advantageous if Social Impact Studies (SIPs) for major projects (eg new airports, new roads) were standardised in a similar manner, so they could be more easily compared.However, considering the difficulties there have been in agreeing GAAP, the consultants responsible for carrying out and presenting SIPs may not be eager to go down this route. Instead - on the basis of the SIPs I saw back in the days when I was working - the consultants concerned usually try to set out carefully the various premises on which, and the methodology by which, they have prepared the SIP; and this allows reasonable comparisions to be made between different SIPs. It should also be borne in mind that some of the techniques used within SIPs - eg cost-benefit analysis, statisfical and demographic analyses - may already have been standardised.