Context.

Unilever Professional is a division within Unilever’s Home Care category, focused on serving large-scale users and business customers such as cleaning companies and hotel chains. Operating globally, the division provides professional-grade hygiene and cleaning solutions tailored to the needs of commercial environments. Approximately 300 people work within Unilever Professional worldwide, supporting its mission to deliver high-performance products and sustainable solutions to the B2B market.

Insight.

Unilever Professional had ambitious growth goals. The multidisciplinary leadership team recognized that without clear and shared objectives, those ambitions would not be realized. It was essential for everyone in the organization to understand what needed to be done – and who was responsible for delivering it.

To create focus and translate strategy into action, the team needed a structured approach. The OKR (Objectives & Key Results) framework offered a solution: a method designed to set bold goals and define measurable outcomes. Inspired by successful implementations across Unilever globally, the team adopted OKRs to drive alignment, accountability, and agility across the division.

Activation.

The first step was to engage the leadership team in the principles of Agile working—why their role was critical to delivering the strategy, and how goal-setting through the OKR framework would support that mission. The team also aligned on the mindset and behaviors required from each leader to ensure the sessions would lead to productive and focused outcomes.

Next, the team analyzed the division’s strategy to ensure a shared understanding of where the emphasis should lie. They then began formulating their OKRs. Through interactive exercises, each leader was challenged to critically assess priorities and identify what truly contributed to strategic success. The team first brainstormed key themes individually, then refined them collectively.

From this, the Objectives were defined – ambitious, inspiring goals that provided direction. These were followed by the Key Results – concrete, measurable outcomes that would allow the team to track progress over time and assess whether the objectives were being achieved.

Impact.

The session created a shared vision and clear focus within the leadership team. Thanks to the OKRs, everyone knew exactly what needed to be achieved. This clarity accelerated decision-making, improved cross-functional collaboration, and ensured that all departments contributed effectively to the strategic goals.

It also led to greater autonomy across the organization. With clear objectives in place, the teams closest to the work – those with the most relevant expertise and on-the-ground insight – were empowered to determine how best to deliver the outcomes. This shift not only enhanced ownership and accountability but also unlocked faster, more adaptive execution.

Karen van Luttervelt, Global Channel Insight Lead Unilever Home Care, reflects: “Thanks to the guidance provided to the leadership team, the organization now operates with greater speed, flexibility, and strategic focus.”