NatCen capitalises on renewed interest in public attitudes

After a year as chief executive of NatCen, Guy Goodwin has improved the fortunes of the former National Centre for Social Research. He’s now looking to recruit talented social scientists to boost capability, he tells Lila Randall.

Achieving a financial surplus was a major goal for Guy Goodwin when he joined independent social research organisation NatCen as chief executive in May last year.

The charity had made losses of £475,000 in 2015— albeit much reduced from £4.2 million the previous year—and former chief executive Penny Young told Research Fortnight, on her departure in May that year, that her successor would face a “really difficult task” to balance the books.