CASE STUDY

Building a Strategic Foundation for Sustainable Social Investment

Development of Theory of Change and Impact Measurement & Management (IMM) Frameworks for Social and Economic Development (SED) programmes.

OUR SERVICES

• Impact Strategy
• Impact Data & Systems
• Impact Measurement, Valuation & Performance
• Capacity Building & Training

SECTOR

Mining

LOCATION

Mpumalanga, South Africa

DURATION

9 months

THE CHALLENGE

Thungela sought to strengthen the strategic design and long-term impact of its Social and Economic Development (SED) programmes across multiple communities in Mpumalanga. While a range of initiatives were already being implemented, the organisation required a consistent approach to defining intended outcomes, aligning programmes with its broader sustainability objectives, and establishing a robust framework for measuring and managing impact over time.

OUR APPROACH

weWpartnered with Thungela to develop Theory of Change and Impact Measurement & Management (IMM) frameworks across several strategic investment programmes, including Enterprise and Supplier Development, Education, Social and Labour Plan (SLP) initiatives, and Municipal Capacity Building.

Working closely with both programme teams and stakeholders
Reviewed existing social investment approaches and programme design.
Validated community needs and impact objectives across multiple operating sites.
Facilitated Theory of Change workshops to strengthen strategic alignment.
Refined programme outcomes, indicators and measurement frameworks.
Developed enhanced SED plans that responded to community priorities while supporting Thungela’s sustainability ambitions.
Established a stronger foundation for ongoing impact management and organisational learning.

KEY DELIVERABLES

Theory of Change frameworks for multiple strategic programmes.
Impact Measurement & Management (IMM) frameworks.
Refined impact pathways and results frameworks.
Programme-level outcomes and indicators.
Stakeholder validation workshops across programme sites.
Strategic recommendations for future social investment planning.
Enhanced Social and Economic Development (SED) programme design.

VALUE CREATED

The project established a shared strategic framework for planning, managing and evaluating social investment across multiple programmes and operating sites. By embedding Theory of Change into programme design, Thungela strengthened the alignment between community priorities, sustainability objectives and intended impact outcomes, creating a more structured foundation for evidence-informed decision-making and long-term impact management.

Theory of Change in Practice

Theory of Change was used as the central strategic framework to connect community needs with programme design, intended outcomes and long-term impact objectives. Through collaborative validation workshops, stakeholders developed a shared understanding of how individual programmes contribute to broader social and sustainability goals, creating a consistent basis for impact measurement, programme management and continuous improvement.

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