World Bank Group Scorecard Formative Evaluation (Approach Paper)

Overview & Synopsis

The World Bank first adopted a Corporate Scorecard in 2011. Its scope was expanded in 2014 to include the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). Its latest version (2023) is structured around eight vision indicators, 22 client context indicators, 22 World Bank Group results indicators, 15 results narratives, and an organizational dashboard, and is intended to measure, at the apex of the institution, the Bank Group’s contribution to development outcomes rather than simply tracking the outputs it delivers, with a focus on indicators that capture people’s well-being. It is also intended to better account for the full range of the Bank Group’s contribution to development outcomes through results narratives that describe how it contributes to change beyond its financing, through knowledge transfer and capacity building. By harmonizing indicator definitions and flagging results achieved through joint engagements, it is expected to incentivize cooperation across the World Bank, the IFC, and MIGA. Additionally, it is intended to reinstate the Bank Group’s leadership among other multilateral development banks (MDBs) in defining outcome measures for emerging priorities such as digital development. The objective of this evaluation is to assess the fit-for-purpose of the Bank Group Scorecard during its development and rollout—as a tool for improving the measurement of outcomes, management for outcomes, accountability for outcomes to the Board of Executive Directors, and communication of outcomes to external audiences. It is also formative, intended to identify areas for improvement and influence ongoing adjustments. It will inform the midterm management review of the 2023 Scorecard’s implementation during FY 2026 and is being undertaken in tandem with a Group Internal Audit report.