How OKRs can supercharge impact within organizations

As expectations around corporate impact continue to grow, so does the need to integrate these issues into the core of business strategy. However, many impact teams still operate on the margins, with long planning cycles (3- to 5-year goals) and limited visibility within their organizations.

In this context, the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) methodology can be a powerful ally. Not only does it help translate ambition into action, but it also allows impact teams to gain legitimacy, focus, and traction within their companies. In our experience, OKRs have been essential in raising the ambition and effectiveness of impact work—particularly at Glovo, where we used them for five years to drive programs such as Glovo Access and the reduction of our carbon footprint.

Here are five key reasons why OKRs are especially relevant for scaling impact:

1. A More dynamic cadence that supports continuous improvement

Many impact strategies are anchored in annual cycles, with medium- to long-term goals and yearly reports. While this may be useful for long-term vision, it often leaves a gap in day-to-day management.

OKRs enable a more frequent cadence, typically quarterly or semi-annual, which facilitates tracking, course correction, and continuous learning. This more "sustained" rhythm helps keep focus on impact goals, quickly identify bottlenecks, and prevent commitments from fading over time.

2. Driving cross-functional collaboration

Impact is rarely the responsibility of a single team. Emissions reduction requires involvement from operations and tech; diversity from the people team; responsible sourcing from procurement and legal.

OKRs make these interdependencies visible and assign shared goals across departments, breaking down silos and fostering co-responsibility. This is one of their greatest strengths: turning collective challenges into common objectives.

3. Aligning impact goals with business north stars

One of the most powerful applications of OKRs is their ability to connect impact objectives with the company’s core business drivers—its “north stars.” When done well, this alignment not only boosts the relevance of impact within the organization, but also unlocks a path to scale it.

At Glovo, for example, the company’s main growth metric was the number of orders delivered. To align our social impact efforts with this core metric, we set an OKR to grow the number of orders delivered to vulnerable people through our Glovo Access program. We then tied the program’s budget directly to the company’s overall growth—ensuring that as Glovo scaled, so did our capacity to create positive social impact.

This kind of alignment transforms impact from a parallel track into an integrated growth lever, helping teams justify investment, gain leadership support, and embed impact into the company’s long-term trajectory.

4. Elevating strategic priority

OKRs help shift impact from a peripheral topic to one that stands on equal footing with the company’s other business priorities. Integrating impact goals into the same management system as marketing, finance, or operations normalizes their tracking and ensures they’re considered when allocating resources and making decisions.

5. Fostering accountability and internal transparency

A good OKR system is public within the organization. This creates a culture of accountability and tracking that is especially valuable for teams that have historically operated in the shadows. Sharing real-time progress reinforces commitment and enhances the credibility of the impact function.

6. Measuring what matters (and learning in the process)

Although impact can seem intangible, OKRs force metrics onto the table. This not only helps guide efforts but also pushes teams to refine how they measure progress in areas like emissions, circularity, or tech ethics. Often, this measurement effort is as valuable as the results themselves.

Inspiring Examples

In addition to Glovo—where OKRs were key to scaling the ambition of the impact function—other companies have also embraced this methodology with similar goals:

• Google, a pioneer of the OKR system, has used it to drive sustainability initiatives like emissions reduction and transitioning to 100% renewable energy.
• Patagonia has incorporated sustainability metrics into its OKRs as a way to ensure its mission guides day-to-day execution.

For impact professionals, OKRs are not just a management tool: they’re a lever to gain space, credibility, and effectiveness. Instead of operating in parallel to corporate strategy, they enable full integration—with focus, clear metrics, and a capacity for learning.

At a time when companies must demonstrate their commitment to impact through tangible actions, OKRs can help accelerate the effective execution of social and environmental programs—and contribute to maximizing return on investment for the business.