Part 4 of Deed’s Making it Measurable: Proving the ROI of Impact Series
Today’s social impact teams are being asked to do more—and prove more. It’s no longer enough to track participation or total dollars donated. To earn executive buy-in, engage employees, and align with ESG strategy, you need to measure what matters—and communicate it clearly.
In Deed’s latest series - Making it Measurable: Proving the ROI of Impact - we’ll explore the tools, frameworks, and storytelling strategies that help turn purpose into measurable business value. Whether you're looking to level up your metrics, modernize your tech stack, or build a stronger narrative around your work, you’re in the right place.
Rethinking Success
For years, social impact programs were measured by the basics—dollars donated, hours volunteered, and nonprofits supported. While these metrics still matter, today’s purpose-driven companies are digging deeper.
To create meaningful change and gain internal buy-in, we need a better set of KPIs. In this post, we’ll explore how companies are redefining success in social impact—and what metrics matter most in 2026 and beyond.
Old KPIs vs. New KPIs
|
Traditional Metrics |
Modern Purpose Metrics |
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Total dollars donated |
% donations aligned with ESG/CSR goals |
|
Volunteer hours logged |
Employee Net Promoter Scores and engagement tied to participation in social impact initiatives |
|
Number of nonprofits |
Nonprofit outcomes and social return on investment (SROI) |
|
Event attendance |
Longitudinal behavior change |
The shift is from activity to impact—from what we did, to what it changed.
Why New Metrics Matter
Purpose-led companies are no longer satisfied with surface-level stats. Executives and employees alike are calling for metrics that actually prove the value of social impact investments—both inside and outside the business.
CEOs Are Calling for Impact at the Core: According to the CECP Investing in Society report (2024), leading companies are “adding social metrics to the vital few KPIs the C-suite regularly monitors.” This reflects a growing trend: impact is no longer a siloed initiative—it’s a business driver. To secure budget, guide strategy, and report with credibility, companies must measure not just what they do, but what changes as a result.
Employees Want Proof, Not Promises: The Edelman Trust at Work report (2021) found that 77% of employees expect their employer to take action on social issues, and belief-driven employees are more engaged, loyal, and likely to advocate for their company. In short: proving that your programs work isn’t just good optics—it’s good for retention and reputation.
But Most Companies Still Struggle to Track Outcomes: While many companies track participation and donations, few regularly measure what impact those actions create. Experts now recommend shifting from activity-based KPIs to outcome-focused metrics like social return on investment (SROI), nonprofit-reported results, and behavior change over time. This is how the best companies justify investment and drive continuous improvement.
Five Modern Metrics for Social Impact Success
- Alignment Score
- Measures how closely campaigns, donations, and programs align with company values, ESG pillars, and belonging and inclusion goals.
- Tools like Deed allow companies to tag causes, nonprofits, and participation to these values.
- Impact Engagement Rate
- Tracks what % of employees engage with purpose programs quarterly.
- Can be more nuanced than overall participation—focuses on consistency, reach, and repeat actions.
- Nonprofit Outcomes
- Collects data from partners on real-world results: people served, emissions reduced, youth educated, etc.
- Helps validate grantmaking and corporate donations and build credibility with employees.
- Employee Sentiment
- Measures how impact programs affect belonging, purpose, and morale.
- Can be gathered via quarterly pulse surveys or embedded in Deed’s post-activity reviews.
- Social Return on Investment (SROI)
- Calculates the broader value of impact (social, economic, environmental) per dollar invested.
- Combines qualitative and quantitative inputs—great for annual ESG and CSR reporting.
How Deed Helps
With Deed, companies can:
- Tag every donation, event, and action by cause, region, and goal
- Visualize engagement rates, SROI, and nonprofit performance
- Export custom reports for ESG, CSR and executive stakeholders
- Integrate with survey tools to blend hard and soft data
It’s purpose—with proof.
Measure What Matters
The best companies don’t just do good—they prove it. In a world of ESG scrutiny, employee activism, and purpose-driven growth, the right metrics matter more than ever.
If your current KPIs aren’t telling the full story, it might be time to evolve how you define success.
Want a better way to measure impact?
