Insider Insight: Ruth Healey, president of SIGBI

Ruth Healey is the president of the women’s charity, Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI). She is passionate about making positive change for women and girls and is incredibly proud of what the charity has achieved over the last 100 years.

What is your morning routine?

I’d like to say it’s a quick five-mile run with my dog – Blossom – followed by 20 minutes on the bike before I get to my desk, but in actuality it’s a little bit more sedate than that!

I wake up at 6.30am and the first thing I do is head downstairs for breakfast. This is usually a slice of toast, followed by quickly checking my emails, I always find time to walk Blossom (leisurely – she’s getting on), and then start work in earnest.

I find that getting some fresh air in the morning helps to set me up for the day – my head feels clearer and ready to get stuck into the day’s busy schedule.

Which technology could you not live without?

All of it! Sometimes I think it would be lovely not to be on call 24/7, but it’s so ingrained in our daily lives that I don’t think it’s possible to live without it.

I openly admit that I’m joined at the hip with my phone, so not having that would mess up my day, as I use it for almost everything.

How do you relax?

I find walking my dog very calming, but I’m also an avid jigsaw fan. It’s a great way to wind down and lose yourself in something that isn’t on a screen.

I also love meeting up with friends for lunch or days out. It’s important to spend time with the people who make you happy.

Which quote resonates with you?

It has to be one by Barack Obama about change. He says: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

As the president of an international women’s charity that has consultancy status at the United Nations, positive change to advance the lives of women and girls is at the heart of everything we stand for.

We have 248 clubs throughout the UK, Malta, Asia and the Caribbean – over 200 of which are in the UK – and a total of 5,150 members globally. Every single one of us cares about achieving positive change for women and girls.

What is the best thing about your job?

Meeting up with our strong, inspiring members – travelling around the country, hearing their stories and understanding the daily challenges they face.

Members of SIGBI are known as ‘Soroptimists’ – a term that was coined from the Latin ‘soror’ meaning sister, and ‘optima’ meaning best. So, Soroptimist is perhaps best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.

The charity’s heritage stretches back more than a century, and all our members want to give something back to their communities, to make their voices heard on issues that affect women, and to support women and girls who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or do not have a voice

This is an incredibly rewarding role, and the people I get to work with are some of the most inspirational people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.

What keeps you motivated?

Witnessing the huge amount of work being done by SIGBI members and the impact that it’s having on the lives of women and girls.

We all work together to tackle gender violence and inequality, creating a positive impact both locally and globally. It’s truly inspiring.

What is the most important lesson you have learned since you joined SIGBI?

I have learned to listen. Truly listen and don’t just wait for a gap in the conversation to make your point.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Be more adventurous and don’t believe your imposter syndrome!

What is something you wish you could experience again for the first time?

Arriving in Bermuda on a 36-foot yacht having sailed 1,200 miles from Florida. I was the navigator, so I had a huge sense of achievement that we’d found this small island in the middle of the Atlantic!

What is your greatest achievement since joining SIGBI?

This is a tricky one. I don’t think I have a greatest achievement other than the honour of being elected to this role. However, as a team, there is so much to be proud of.

We are going through a process of modernisation at the moment, which is not easy. Change is challenging, or even frightening, for some, but I’m so proud of the way our members have engaged with the conversation.

And of course, alongside that is all the work being done. Working together this year we have supported over 85,000 women and girls and raised over £600,000 to support our projects. It’s a huge collective achievement and one we can all be proud of.