Welcome
We are a group of management consultants committed to making a significant impact on the management and governance of civil society organisations and their funders.
We aim to make a substantial and sustainable improvement in the performance of these organisations by:
- Delivering top quality consultancy
- Combining the culture and values of the sector with leading edge business skills
- Developing and disseminating innovative and effective management practices
- Making significant contributions to policy development for the sector.
Over the last 25 years we have worked with more than 800 organisations and built a reputation for clarity and quality. We have worked with every type of civil society organisation and we focus particularly on:
- Voluntary organisations
- Housing and care organisations
- International development organisations
- Government departments and Non Departmental Public Bodies
- Foundations and funders
- Companies working with civil society organisations.
All our assignments are tailor made to suit each client's circumstances.
When you have had a look at this site, please do give us a call on 01628 478561 for a preliminary conversation about how we might be able to assist your organisation.
News
Delivering Effective Governance - Insights from the boards of larger charities
Excellent governance is now widely recognised as an essential ingredient of effective charities. At its best it ensures strong values, clear direction, effective delivery and a secure future.
While there have been pointers to what constitutes good governance, there has been little empirical evidence. Delivering Effective Governance puts this right.
Leading governance consultants, Compass Partnership, working with the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at Cass Business School, have surveyed over 200 of the country's largest charities and identified the key drivers of effective governance. Now boards and managers can use these findings to focus their efforts on the characteristics of governance that deliver results.
This report is essential reading for chairs, chief executives, board members and senior managers of charities that want to further strengthen their organisations' governance.
Click here to obtain your copy.
Sunday Times recognition for our research
The Sunday Times reported our findings into the governance of large charities. The article highlighted our findings on the key drivers of effective governance.
Updated board performance assessment
The Compass Partnership Board Self Assessment has been up-dated to make it consistent with the new Code of Governance for the voluntary sector. Tried and tested on a range of many organisations, the assessment covers how well the board is delivering key governance functions, performance of the board as a team, individual performance, the performance of committees and personal feedback from other board members
British Waterways has become Canals & Rivers Trust
The transformation of British Waterways into the Canals & Rivers Trust is now complete. This follows a report prepared in 2010 jointly with Compass Partnership, BWB Solicitors and THINK Consulting which set out the case for the move and proposed a new governance structure.
Australian Edition of Managing Without Profit
A new edition of Mike Hudson's bestselling book Managing Without Profit has been written for nonprofit organisations in Australia. Jointly developed with Australian consultant Lyla Rogan, the book describes Australian civil society, relates governance and management theory to Australian organisations and includes many new case studies from Australia.
Click here to obtain a copy.....
Welfare of the Armed Forces Community
The Royal British Legion has published new research into the welfare of the neediest groups of current and ex-service people. The research conducted by Compass Partnership involved in-depth interviews with over 150 people including those who have been seriously injured, family members of those who have died and Ghurkhas who have been discharged.
It found that whilst most receive support from the services, charities and the NHS, there are significant gaps particularly in long term support both for service personnel and family members. There are important barriers to seeking support including pride and an assumption that other people may be more deserving of support.
Compass supports children's education in Vanuatu
Compass is supporting the education of secondary school children in the Pacific island state of Vanuatu. Mike Hudson and his wife Diana spent the summer of 2010 at St Patrick's College investigating how an independent school in the UK could develop its relationship with the college and provide voluntary support.
Since parents have to pay for secondary education in Vanuatu, they recommended that a bursary scheme be established to subsidise fees of bright and hard working children who would otherwise have to end their education. Over £10,000 has been raised for ten bursaries and the target is to increase this to 20.