The organisation is a finalist in two Living Wage Leader Award categories; ‘Third Sector’ and ‘Small and Medium-sized Enterprises’ (SME).
Compass Wellbeing is East London NHS Foundation Trust’s not-for-profit community interest company. It works to bridge the gap between voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs) and healthcare services. It aims to do this by building capacity in the sector, improving the ability of VCSEs to engage with the NHS, and facilitating partnership working.
It has supported public sector procurement programmes and worked in partnership to award and contract more than £18 million funding to more than 350 groups in just over five years.
In 2024, Compass Wellbeing officially became a ‘Living Wage Employer’, ensuring everyone within the company received at least the real Living Wage. This also included uplifting over 230 people across its voluntary sector partners.
Last year, the company became a Living Hours Employer, guaranteeing secure hours, fair shift notice and contracts that reflect actual hours worked.
Commenting on the shortlisting, Mathew Sheehan, Chief Executive of Compass Wellbeing, said: "I am incredibly proud of this recognition. When we became a Living Wage Employer in 2024, we wanted it to mean something beyond our own organisation. Fair employment is central to the work we do supporting VCSE partners across east London. I got into this work because of what poverty and insecurity do to people's health, and this is one small part of trying to do something about that."
Winners will be announced at a ceremony on Tuesday 7 July 2026 at Church House in Westminster.
