Client Individuals: Historically Marginalized (PI4237)

Number of unique individuals who belong to groups historically marginalized on the basis of race and/or ethnicity who were clients of the organization during the reporting period.

Reporting Format Unit Referenced within Metric Definition
Metric Type Submetric
Metric Level Product/Service, Organization
IRIS Metric Citation IRIS, 2021. Client Individuals: Minorities/Previously Excluded (PI4237). v5.2.

Footnote

Organizations should footnote all assumptions used, including their categorization of historically marginalized groups. See usage guidance for further information.

Usage Guidance

This metric is intended to capture the number of unique clients who belong to a group historically marginalized on the basis of race and/or ethnicity and who received the organization’s products or services during the reporting period. It is not a measure of foot traffic, nor is it intended to capture the number of consumer transactions. For example, a customer who makes two purchases during a period should be counted only once. Organizations wishing to report on total client transactions should refer to Client Transactions (PI5184).
This metric is intended to capture the unique number of specific individuals served. Organizations should not use any household multipliers when reporting against this metric. If organizations consider entire households to be the customer/client, they can report against Client Households: Total (PI7954) and its associated submetrics.
The categorization of historically marginalized groups varies with location and context. With no internationally agreed-upon definition as to which groups constitute historically marginalized, if well-established local policies exist (as in South Africa, with the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment [BBBEE] definition, or in India, based on backward caste), organizations should refer to these local guidelines to identify groups historically marginalized on the basis of race and/or ethnicity. Otherwise, and wherever appropriate, organizations should provide additional detail regarding their tailored methodology for defining these groups.
Many organizations may not be able to report on the number of clients using direct data. For example, organizations that sell solar lanterns through a series of local network distributors might estimate the number of client individuals reached based on the number of units sold. Organizations should footnote details on how and why these assumptions were made.
For healthcare providers, “client individuals” refers to patients. For housing providers, “client individuals” refers to residents or tenants.
This metric may help describe the HOW MUCH Scale dimension, which helps estimate the number of the targeted stakeholders experiencing the outcome. For more on the alignment of IRIS metrics to the five dimensions of impact, see IRIS+ and the Five Dimensions of Impact (https://iris.thegiin.org/document/iris-and-the-five-dimensions/). No single metric is sufficient to understand an impact; rather, metrics are selected as a set across all dimensions of impact. When possible, the selection of metrics to measure and describe the five dimensions should be based on best practice and evidence.

Related metrics

This is a submetric of Client Individuals: Total (PI4060), which has 17 other related submetrics.

Impact Categories & Themes

Cross Category

Metrics identified as "cross-category" are those that are relevant to any IRIS+ Impact Category or Impact Theme (i.e., these metrics are not specific to any particular industry/category or theme).

SDG Goals & Targets

Metric History

June 2025 - IRIS+ v5.3b Released (current version)

No change.
December 2024 - IRIS+ v5.3a Released

No change.
June 2022 - IRIS+ v5.3 Released

Immaterial change. Minor revisions to metric name, definition, and usage guidance for clarity.
May 2021 - IRIS+ v5.2 Released

No change.
January 2020 - IRIS+ v5.1 Released

No change.
May 2019 - IRIS+ v5.0 Released

No change.
March 2016 - IRIS+ v4.0 Released

No change.
March 2014 - IRIS+ v3.0 Released

Material change. Metric definition modified to provide clarity based on best practices and standard guidance.
November 2011 - IRIS+ v2.2 Released

Immaterial change. Client Individuals: Minorities/Previously Excluded (PI4237) replaced Clients: Minority/Previously Excluded (PI4237). Minor revision to metric name and definition language for clarity.
February 2011 - IRIS+ v2.1 Released

No change.
September 2010 - IRIS+ v2.0 Released

Immaterial change. Clients: Minority/Previously Excluded (PI4237) replaced Demographic Served: Minorities (DES13.3). IRIS ID / metric name changed due to framework upgrade. Minor revision to definition language for clarity.
September 2009 - IRIS+ v1.0 Released

New metric. Demographic Served: Minorities (DES13.3) was developed via the Original IRIS Working Group.

Footnote

Cross Category

IRIS Metrics Work Better in Sets