How The Bureau of Investigative Journalism tracks impact

Many of us hope that when we press "publish" on our stories, it will cause a stir somewhere. A board director squirming in their chair, a town hall discussion, a follow up guest article. I even gladly take a shout-out on LinkedIn.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) has long been recognised for its rigorous approach to tracking the impact of its investigations. But as the newsroom’s work evolves, so too does its understanding of what "impact" really means. It's not just about policy change and page views, but also the overlooked things like transparency, collaboration, and source recognition.

The four-step workflow

Over time, TBIJ has refined a workflow for tracking impact, according to impact producer Grace Murray, who just finished up an investigation about indigenous voices that feel their governments are failing to protect them, resulting in a range of health and climate issues.

1. Logging and visualising impact
   Every instance of impact (policy change, a company overhaul, or a mention in a newsletter) is logged by reporters and producers using a Google Form. Monitoring tools like Meltwater help, as does sources who report back any changes. This data feeds into a central spreadsheet and is visualised through another tool, the Impact Architects platform.
2. Internal reporting and communication
   Impact data is shared in regular Monday meetings and internal newsletters. High-level impact is communicated immediately via internal channels, and newsworthy impacts are sometimes written up for the website. Recent examples include the Enablers/anti-corruption team’s work on Vitesse Football Club and Carter Ruck law firm.
3. External reporting and public updates
   Major impacts are highlighted in The Bureau's Annual Report and shared with publishing partners and through the weekly impact newsletter, The Spark.
4. Source and stakeholder follow-up
   Where appropriate, TBIJ goes back to sources to provide updates on a story’s impact, ensuring those involved are kept informed and engaged. This follow-up can lead to further engagement or new story leads, closing the loop between reporting and real-world change.

Murray said the workflow has become more nuanced over time, with impacts categorised in a gold, silver, or bronze tiering system, and tracked across political, business, and community domains. For example, this could be:

• Gold: a company overhauling its security systems or a major policy change directly resulting from a Bureau investigation.
• Silver: investigation taken into parliamentary briefings or internal company discussions, even if no immediate action is taken.
• Bronze: typically media amplification, i.e. picked up in newsletters, shared by NGOs, or mentioned by influential individuals on social media.

Media partnerships, amplification, and analytics

Media amplification – through co-publishing, press releases, and outreach to relevant publications – is a core part of TBIJ's model and sits within this framework.

Community organiser Lucy Brisbane McKay says this work is governed by a mix of formal and informal arrangements.

Formal publishing partnerships require a memorandum of understanding (MOU, a non-binding agreement to pursue a partnership), outlining expectations, editorial independence, and the logistics of joint publication. Some partners, such as BBC News, may conduct their own independent, concurrent reporting.

On a less formal level, some media outlets co-publish investigations to reach a wider or more targeted audience under a set of guidelines and requirements, which ultimately aims to maximise reach while maintaining editorial standards.

Analytics from co-publishers are generally managed by The Bureau’s audience team, with partners asked to report back on audience and response. This data, while sometimes less granular than internal analytics, still feeds into an understanding of how stories travel and influence.

The power of "how we did it" journalism

But not all impact is so easily quantified. McKay highlighted the value of "how we did it" articles, which take readers behind the scenes of major investigations. She did this recently for an investigation into injustices within employment tribunals.

'Behind the scenes' content serves a broader role to meet user needs, as audience surveys and interviews reveal a strong demand for lifting the lid on the investigative process. But there is a secondary impact-driven benefit here, too.

"The impact we have as journalists is never on our own. Everything we do is about partnerships, collaboration, and uplifting important voices."

When lawyers, campaigners, and sector experts are credited in these behind-the-scenes pieces, they are empowered to share and amplify the work – broadening the story’s reach and reinforcing the idea of shared responsibility for taking findings forward.

"The charity sector comms people are often the backbone of journalism and should be viewed as collaborators and experts, not just sources," says McKay, who used to work in this field prior to The Bureau.

"If people are invested in your journalism and feel it reflects the issues they’re working on, they’re more likely to value it and take the findings forward in their own work."

This article was drafted with the help of an AI assistant before it was edited by a human