Joanna Solanki, Chief Executive Officer of N-Compass, has been profiled in the July 2025 edition of Civil Society’s Governance & Leadership. In her article, “Culture isn’t a thing – it’s us”, Joanna explores how N-Compass has created one of the UK’s Top 100 Medium-Sized Workplaces, setting out why workplace culture is inseparable from high-quality services and lasting impact.
An Experienced and Innovative Voice in Health and Social Care
As an established provider of health and social care services, N-Compass has earned a reputation for quality, compassion and reliability. Joanna’s article demonstrates how the organisation continues to pioneer new ways of working, sharing ideas and good practice that resonate far beyond our own teams and communities.
Driving the Conversation on Culture and Resilience
Her reflections in Governance & Leadership do more than describe organisational success – they offer a blueprint for how culture can become a strategic asset in health and social care. She explains how N-Compass has deliberately chosen to protect its people in the face of financial pressures, securing additional funding to raise pay and safeguard jobs. By showing that practical, values-led decisions can deliver both stability and excellence, Joanna illustrates how culture, when prioritised, can strengthen resilience in a sector often under strain.
She also explores the deeper link between staff well-being and service quality. N-Compass’ approach – from loyalty awards and family-friendly policies to embedding well-being as part of everyday practice – demonstrates that when people feel valued, the positive impact flows directly to those receiving care and support. In doing so, she positions N-Compass as an organisation that exemplifies how culture is not a by-product of success, but its driving force.
Influencing the Future of Responsible Leadership
Rather than simply adding to debates in the sector, Joanna helps to shape them. She moves the conversation beyond policies and initiatives, grounding it in the lived experiences of staff and the communities they serve. Her emphasis on openness, fairness and shared ownership of culture challenges other organisations to think more critically about how they nurture their people.
This perspective carries weight because it is rooted in action: from anonymised recruitment processes that reduce bias, to “My Voice,” an employee engagement forum that ensures every voice can be heard. By sharing these examples, Joanna signals that N-Compass is not only committed to its own workforce but is also helping to redefine what responsible leadership in health and social care looks like. She offers a vision of an organisation where culture is co-created, not imposed – and where sustainability is measured in both human and organisational terms.
Looking Ahead
The article looks firmly to the future. Joanna makes clear that N-Compass is committed to growth that secures stability for its workforce and continuity for those who rely on its services. Culture, she argues, is not a backdrop to strategy but its foundation – the element that allows innovation, sustainability and excellence to flourish.
This feature in Civil Society is a significant recognition of both Joanna’s contribution and N-Compass’ role in leading practice across the health and social care sector. It reinforces our place as an organisation that not only delivers services of the highest quality, but also drives fresh thinking about how to meet the challenges of the future.
