Romy Heldsinger, the CEO of Forgood, which is a for profit social impact organization, utilizing an intricately designed digital platform making good corporate citizenship easier to action through tangible and measurable initiatives. The SAAS (Software As A Service) Platform brings a network of verified NGO’s and corporate companies at the fingertips of both CSR representatives and employees. It enables the mobilization of volunteers and their skill sets, to be connected to relevant causes requiring their specific offering. Equipped with this digital voice, NGO’s can eliminate mismatched assumptions of what companies want to contribute versus what is needed. Mismatches hinder efforts to reach the vulnerable and marginalized in a meaningful manner. This synchronization of skills-meets-needs fashions bespoke synergies between corporates and NGO’s resulting in measurable sustainable outcomes.
After enjoying a career in media across various functions, Romy wanted to dedicate her time and expertise to a philanthropic purpose-driven life. She joined Forgood in 2018 with a clear vision to drive growth and stimulate Profit-4-Purpose. Motivated by the ambition to effect maximum socio-impact, she grew into the position of CEO in 2021 to further her vision. Today, her team has almost doubled despite the pandemic.
With ubuntu at heart, she seizes every opportunity to harness the full potential of their socio-impact platform. During the KZN Floods, the platform raised almost half a million rand in donations in one week. Her deep concern for victims of gender-based violence has set new initiatives in motion to support vulnerable victims, ensuring that they will have their cases heard in court and receive justice.
She and her predominantly female management team relentlessly pursue and support creative initiatives by continuously energizing collaborations between volunteers, corporates, and NGO’s, driving new innovations and enabling the now 20 corporates, who are using this platform, along with 400 verified causes which have the potential to impact 12 million lives.
Forgood facilitates Standard Bank’s innovative Rand4Rand employee volunteer drive, Hollard’s Changemaker initiative which gives back a portion of premiums paid when clients volunteer, and many such initiatives for and not limited to Deloitte, Momentum, Metropolitan, African Bank, KPMG, and more. Her vision is now expanding into Africa and even the UK.
Since her appointment as CEO, over 50 000 volunteers have been mobilised to respond with goods, services, time or monetary donations. Worth mentioning is the Khulisa Social Solutions (a cause focusing on enabling vulnerable youth and communities through skills development) who received 250 hours of purpose driven volunteering worth R500 000. Another 30 social impact events were activated ranging from constructing community buildings using eco bricks, developing over 100 sustainable gardens for ECD centres, knitting almost 1000 blankets for babies, refurbishing an ECD centre in Alexandra, and so on.
Her determination and drive paired with passion and purpose is underpinned by the belief that every person has the power to make an impact in the lives of others and society. Romy continues to inspire those around her as she lives her dream, making a difference to so many lives daily.
Leave a Reply