The professional values system adhered to by SIA practitioners is one of its key features. Besides dedication to achieving sustainability and scientific integrity, this values system encompasses an ethical framework that promotes transparency, accountability, justice, equality, and the protection of human rights. Anticipating (pre-) negative impacts and determining who will win and who will lose are just small parts of the role played by SIA. In addition, the SIA program includes: enhancing the status of women, minorities, and other disadvantaged or marginalized community members; capacity building; reducing all forms of dependence; promoting justice;

Emphasizing the eradication of poverty ensures that development leads to enhancing benefits and reducing costs – especially those borne by people – is the goal of the social impact improvement initiative (including those existing elsewhere and in the future). Often, costs and benefits are not adequately considered by regulatory bodies, decision-makers, and developers, and may not be observable or quantifiable. The impacts can be anticipated so that: better decisions can be made regarding interventions that need to be implemented and how to implement them; mitigation strategies can be developed to reduce negative impacts and enhance the positive impacts of a specific planned intervention or related activity.